21 Surrey students receive ScotiaRISE grants toward dual credit program at KPU

Twenty-one students from around the district are receiving grants from Scotiabank toward a dual credit program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), giving them the opportunity to take courses that give them both secondary and undergraduate post-secondary credits.

ScotiaRISE grants are being awarded to nearly 200 students in B.C. totalling $200,000 over the next three years. The grants are generally awarded to students who may not yet be considering post-secondary as a way to introduce them to new academic and career opportunities.

The Scotiabank Strive Dual Credit Program, developed with KPU’s Future Students’ Office and the KPU Foundation, aims to encourage higher participation rates among grant recipients by offering credit at the secondary and post-secondary levels. The program will run twice per year, with cohorts of up to 35 students each at the Surrey and Richmond campuses in the spring and fall semesters.

The courses offered will be tailored to the student demographic, with Arts 1100 as the debut course, featuring service learning with local non-profits and volunteering in the community as part of the coursework in an effort to address contemporary social problems.

The program will have a dedicated academic advisor or counsellor, literacy support, learning centre support, accessibility support and student mentorship, as well as a student assistant to act as a liaison between the university and the district.

Community partners include Atira, Surrey Food Bank, Metis Nation BC, Seven Sacred Fires Society, Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association, Qmunity, and MOSAIC.

For more information, see the ScotiaRISE website and the KPU dual credit programs page.