Three Kootenay students are one step closer to achieving their academic goals, thanks to the generosity of the Neil Muth Scholarship.
Lea Gerrard from Nakusp, Jackie King from Castlegar and Aiden Vince from Nelson will each receive $33 hundred to undertake their post-secondary studies and pursue their career ambitions.
For Neil’s youngest daughter, Hilary Muth, this is exactly what her father would have wanted.
“Our dad would be proud of the scholarship.” said Hilary.
“He believed there was a lot more to just grades and getting good grades weren’t the end all be all.”
“As his kids, we’ve all faced challenges and through it all our dad’s constant message to us was just do your best, which is why the scholarship is not grade based and instead it’s based on life situations and the desire to continue to learn.”
Neil grew up in Trail and always had a dream to return home, so he jumped at the opportunity when it arrived.
“He got the position with Columbia Basin Trust, and he was so excited to be able to return to the Kootenays. The area meant so much to our dad.” said Hilary.
With his passing the family sought a way to keep his legacy, love of learning and memory alive, and thus the Neil Muth Scholarship was founded.
“Our dad had truly loved learning and had dedicated himself to like continuous learning and to learn new things and encouraging my siblings and I to always be open to learning.” said Hilary.
“Creating the scholarship made the most sense, and through the scholarship, we have supported students who need a little extra help in achieving their academic goals and knowing that we can provide that bit of support just means so much to us.”
The family is thankful to all of the applicants who apply and share their story.
“We know it’s not easy to be vulnerable and raw with a complete stranger, and our family reads every application and every year we’re amazed with the stories of individuals who have shared their story with us, and who have faced such great challenges and their resiliency to overcome.” said Hilary.
“We are so grateful to everyone who donated to help our dream of a scholarship in honor of our dad become a reality, and I will add Neil loved working at Columbia Basin Trust and we are so grateful for their continued support and making this possible year after year.”
The Story of Neil Muth Scholarship
The scholarship was established in 2017 to honour Neil Muth, Columbia Basin Trust’s President and Chief Executive Officer from 2005 through 2016, who passed away in November 2016.
Neil valued and supported perseverance and continuous learning. He encouraged his children, staff and others to be curious, to seek their own path, and to never give up.
“We’re so grateful for all the scholarship applicants, past and present, who have shared their incredibly moving stories with us, demonstrating how they have forged ahead despite life’s challenges,” said Cathy Muth, Neil’s wife.
“The scholarship recipients exemplify perseverance, strength and courage, and we are proud to support them in achieving their educational and career goals. We wish Lea, Jackie and Aiden every success in pursuing their dreams.”
The 2024 Recipients
Lea Gerrard — Nakusp
“As Harry Styles sings in ‘Matilda’: ‘Nothing about the way that you were treated ever seemed especially alarming ‘til now.’ I honestly didn’t see myself getting past 16, let alone graduating. This scholarship allows me to pursue a second college degree by 20, studying business and accounting. With little support throughout my life, all my success is thanks to myself and my spiritual progression. My goal is to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree in accounting, start my own business, and create a loving family that isn’t living pay cheque to paycheque. Thank you so much.”
Jackie King — Castlegar
“I wholeheartedly thank the Muth family and Columbia Basin Trust for choosing me as a recipient of the 2024 Neil Muth Memorial Scholarship. As someone familiar with adversity, this scholarship warmed my heart. As a former youth in care, life has thrown many challenges at me, but with grit and determination, I persevere every day. Now, as a student nurse, I’m one step closer to giving back to the community that raised me. My passion for caring for people has always been my guiding light. Being an aesthetician taught me how to help people feel their best, inside and out, and I’m excited to bring that energy into my nursing career. Thank you for the support to build my future. I look forward to paying it forward into our community.”
Aiden Vince — Nelson
“During my grade 11 year, I lost sight of who I was and who I wanted to be. I was in a tough situation, rethinking what was important and whether school was worth it, adopting the saying ‘you rock, you roll’ to keep going. This phrase symbolizes the adversity I’ve faced and my resilience. With the support of my family, friends and teachers, especially Sasha Kitch, I kept rising up. I sincerely thank the Muth family and Columbia Basin Trust for the Neil Muth Memorial Scholarship. This award will help me reach my goal of becoming a registered nurse at UBC Okanagan. I will cherish this award as a reminder of how far I’ve come.”
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