StFX human nutrition students will have access to new scholarships and bursaries thanks to the generosity of Sodexo Canada.
Sodexo, the campus food provider at StFX, has established the Sodexo Canada Scholarship, two individual scholarships of $5,000 to be awarded annually, as well as the Kevin Fraser Memorial Bursary, in memory of the late Kevin Fraser, former Sodexo general manager at StFX, which will see five bursaries of $1,000 each presented annually.
“Sodexo and StFX realize the importance of diet in healthy living and we want to be part of developing students who can help in this goal moving forward,” says Tim Hierlihy, general manager, Sodexo Campus Food Services.
“Kevin Fraser did a lot for students on the campus and in his community who were less fortunate and we wanted to honour his legacy in creating bursaries for students in financial need to honour his legacy,” he says.
“Our hope is by taking some of the financial pressure off of students and families, we can enable greater success in university, helping deserving students who want to graduate with their degree and give back to using the skills they have developed,” says Bob Hale, director, Ancillary Service.
LONG RELATIONSHIP
Mr. Hierlihy says Sodexo and the Human Nutrition Department have had a relationship for many years, with Sodexo supporting the department either through helping a student to attend the Canadian Association of Food Professionals annual conference, food donations for the lab or working with the department in securing an intern or co-op student. The department also uses My Kitchen in Morrison Hall for sessions on healthy cooking.
Department of Human Nutrition senior lab instructor Brenda Hanlon says the department has always had a reciprocated relationship with the campus food service provider. She says this relationship grew under Mr. Fraser. “Students in the Foodservice course tour all Sodexo facilities on campus, Kevin and Tim have been guest lecturers in the Foodservice class, Chef Mike Pollock has used the food labs for food competitions, and visiting chefs have been guest lecturers for the HNU Seminar Series.”
She says both she and retired human nutrition faculty member Fran Haley have sat on Foodservice advisory groups and Ms. Hanlon has judged food competitions at meal hall. And student service learning projects have included consumer satisfaction surveys and waste audits. As well, Ms. Haley, Ms. Hanlon and Mr. Fraser were all members of the Canadian Association of Foodservice Professional (CAFP)-Northumberland Branch, providing mentorship to the StFX student CAFP branch.
Sodexo regularly hosts interns from the Integrated Dietetic Internship (IDI) Program for food service management practicum experiences, and is very supportive of the IDI sport dietetic interns working with StFX athletes on campus, says Laura Reid, dietetic educator, Human Nutrition Department.
AWARDS OFFERED
The Sodexo Canada Scholarship will include one $5,000 non-renewable entrance scholarship presented annually to the top-ranked incoming first year student in the Human Nutrition Department, and one $5,000 non-renewable scholarship to a third or fourth year human nutrition student from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick or Prince Edward Island who shows professional and academic promise and a commitment and interest in working in the food service industry.
The Kevin Fraser Memorial Bursary, established in memory of the late Kevin Fraser, who loved his time at StFX and contributed behind the scenes to many students’ success, will be awarded annually to any first or second year student from Nova Scotia enrolled full-time in the Human Nutrition Department. Five bursaries of $1,000 each will be presented each year. The award is based upon financial need.
