Lögberg-Heimskringla - 15.01.2019, Blaðsíða 14

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14 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • January 15 2019
The Jon Sigurdsson
Chapter of the
IODE awarded 12
scholarships to an impressive
group of young people at its
annual awards ceremony
on October 13, 2018, at the
Scandinavian Cultural Centre
in Winnipeg. The scholarships
are awarded on the basis of
academic excellence, good
citizenship, and leadership
potential.
The guest speaker for the
awards ceremony was Stefan
Jonasson, editor of Lögberg-
Heimskringla, who spoke at
length about the scholarly
tradition in the Icelandic
community. Those attending
were treated to outstanding
performances by Emilie Strain
and Anica Warkentine who
were two music scholarship
winners..
These IODE scholarships
have been established 85 years
ago, in 1933, and several are
in memory of past members
of the Jon Sigurdsson Chapter
and the organization’s robust
scholarship program reflects
its devotion to supporting
learning excellence.
For more information
regarding the Jon Sigurdsson
Chapter IODE scholarships,
please contact Alicyn
Goodman at alicynIODE@
gmail.com. Application forms
and information about the
scholarships to be offered in
2019 will be available in April.
Snjolaug Gillis Memorial
Scholarship
Jessilyn Fulcher is from
Birtle and attends Brandon
University where she is in a
pre-nursing program. She has
two part-time jobs – working at
the Russell Hospital as a health
care aide and at the Twin Valley
Co-op. Through her high school
years Jessilyn worked at a
lawyer’s office, volunteered at
the Birtle Care Home, and was
involved in drama productions
and the Vagabond Theatre.
Kristen and Albert Stephenson
Memorial Music Scholarship
Emilie Strain is a grade
6 student at L’École Noël-
Ritchot. As well as being
passionate about playing the
piano, Emilie is also passionate
about dance and she has strong
interests in fields other than
the arts. Emilie is an athlete.
Kerrine Wilson, who is her
piano teacher, is impressed
by Emilie’s enthusiasm for
studying the piano. Her other
reference described Emilie in
this manner: “As well as her
deep understanding of styles
she plays with an energy that
cannot be taught. Her quiet
charm and intelligence are
apparent in her phrasing and
dynamics, she is able to play
with a delightful sense of
humour.”
Hildur Guttormson Scholarship
Lindsay Bristow is in her
first year of studies at the Max
Rady College of Medicine.
In 2018, she graduated with a
bachelor of science (honours)
degree in Psychology. It is
her intention to specialize in
psychiatry. Lindsay’s goal is to
have a private practice where
her focus will be predominately
Indigenous people. During her
studies, Lindsay has mentored
first-year students through
the Neechiwaken Indigenous
Peer Mentor Program. More
recently, she volunteered for
the University of Manitoba’s
Indigenous Orientation. She
has sat as a community member
on the Aboriginal Health and
Human Resources Committee
of the Winnipeg Regional
Health Authority. In recognition
of her efforts, Lindsay was
awarded the Queen’s Diamond
Jubilee Medal in 2013.
Members Memorial Scholarship
Pamela Drawbridge is a
doctoral student in the Faculty
of Food and Human Nutritional
Sciences. Her thesis focuses on
the nutritious phytochemicals
present in cereal grains
and how different cooking
methods affect the levels of
phytochemicals in the grain
products we consume. Last year,
she was acknowledged as the
winner of the best student oral
presentation at an international
conference. Pam is the first and
primary author of a chapter in
a book published by the Royal
Society of Chemistry, a very
noteworthy accomplishment.
Pam is planning on a career
as a food scientist. She is
the great-granddaughter of
Johanna Wilson, who is a past
president of the Jon Sigurdsson
Chapter IODE.
IODE Music Scholarship
Anica Warkentine is in
her first year of studies at the
Desautels Faculty of Music at
the University of Manitoba.
It is her goal to have a career
as a collabrative pianist and
music educator. In her high
school years at Vincent Massey
Collegiate, she was very
involved in the school’s music
program where she played the
saxophone in the wind ensemble
and piano in both the jazz band
and the jazz ensemble. Besides
being musically talented, she
excelled in the sciences as well.
One of her references described
Anica as, “without a doubt …
one of the most capable, self-
disciplined, accomplished and
insightful students I have had
the privilege of teaching.”
Johanna Gudrun Skaptason
Memorial Scholarship
Kosi Hasani attends the
University of Manitoba with
the intention of becoming
a psychiatrist. Most of her
courses in her grade 12 year
were advance placement
courses for which she was
granted university credit. In
fact, at 15, she was one of the
youngest students at Murdock
Mackay Collegiate to earn AP
credit. Kosi has devoted a lot of
her spare time to volunteering
and extra-curricular activities at
her high school, including the
student council, yearbook, and
YIP – Youth in Philanthropy,
which raised money to
support a school in Africa.
In her community, she has
volunteered for Siloam Mission,
Ronald McDonald House,
Concordia Hospital, and Park
Manor Personal Care home. A
reference from her high school
said of Kosi, “academically,
Kosi is one the shining stars of
her graduating class.”
Eugene and Rose Clyde
Memorial Scholarship
Tess Stevenson is in her
final year of a bachelor of
education degree at Brandon
University. Tess is a coach for
sports teams in Hamiota and
Meadows. She continues to be
involved in student government,
serving her second term on the
Education Student Society
this year as its president. For a
number of years Tess was the
activity and event coordinator
for the Hamiota Seniors. One
of her references stated that
Tess, “has demonstrated an
inclination to being a dedicated
and conscientious individual
at faculty and is a student for
whom I hold high regard. Tess
intends to make an impact in
children’s lives.”
Margrét Benedictsson
Scholarship
Bailey Groot is this year’s
recipient of the Margrét
Benedictsson scholarship
based on her demonstrated
citizenship in school and in
her community. Bailey is in
her third year in a bachelor of
science degree program. She
intends to continue on to the
Faculty of Medicine where she
hopes to become a surgeon. At
the University of Manitoba,
she serves as Director of
Jon Sigurdsson Chapter IODE recognizes
accomplishments of young scholars
Alicyn Goodman
President, Jon Sigurdsson
Chapter IODE
Such scholarship continued throughout the
centuries and, following the Reformation, Arngrímur
Jónsson the Learned, who was rector of the Latin school
at Hólar during the first half of the 17th century, helped
to re-establish Iceland’s reputation for scholarship,
introducing rationalism at home and promoting
awareness of the country’s ancient literature abroad.
A little over two centuries ago, Magnús Stephensen,
who was chief justice of the high court, brought the
Enlightenment to Iceland, promoting scholarship,
establishing a national educational society, and
launching a robust publishing industry in the country.
It was this heritage of learning and a love of
literature that the first Icelandic immigrants to
Manitoba brought with them when they arrived
here in the fall of 1875. Early newspaper accounts
commented on the number of books that Icelandic
immigrants had among their possessions when
they arrived in the province. Among the first ethnic
immigrants to Western Canada, the Icelanders quickly
established themselves and became integrated into
the larger society and, in the years since, Icelandic
immigrants and their descendants have had an
influence far beyond their numbers in nearly every
aspect of Canadian life. Law and medicine, music
and the arts, science and technology, industry and
commerce, education and research, journalism and
broadcasting, agriculture and the environment,
politics and government – there is no field of
endeavour in which Icelanders have not distinguished
themselves.
Frímann B. Anderson graduated from Manitoba
College in 1885, becoming the first Icelander to
complete a university degree in North America. A year
later, he was the founding editor of Heimskringla. In
the years that followed, Icelandic students flocked
to post-secondary institutions in the province –
especially Wesley College, now the University of
Winnipeg – and, in the early years of the 20th century,
young women made up a significant percentage of
their numbers. The first Icelandic woman to graduate
from the University of Manitoba was Mary Anderson,
a student at Wesley College, in 1905.
Forty-six percent of the province’s Icelandic
university graduates, up to the beginning of the
First World War, earned graduation medals in their
disciplines. Skuli Johnson became the first Manitoban
to win a Rhodes Scholarship, in 1909, which he
received a year before graduating from Wesley
College, and Joseph T. Thorson followed him a year
later, when he graduated from Manitoba College. Skuli
Johnson went on to a distinguished career in academia
while Joseph Thorson became dean of the law school,
entered politics, and was eventually named president
of what is now the Federal Court of Canada.
These accomplishments came despite the obstacles
that these students faced. It was difficult for the early
Icelandic students to get involved in extracurricular
activities, since their relative poverty and, in some
cases, accented English proved to be barriers. This
may have accounted for their greater studiousness,
perhaps, but the closed door was deeply disappointing
to the first wave of students. However, these students
and the Icelandic community as a whole recognized
that education was the key to advancing in life, no
matter how humble one’s beginnings.
Whether you are of Icelandic heritage yourself, or
have found yourselves adopted today by Manitoba’s
Icelandic community through the Jon Sigurdsson
Chapter’s recognition of your scholarship and
accomplishments, you are heirs to this heritage of
learning and wisdom that has characterized Icelandic
culture from the Saga Age to the present moment.
At a time when ignorance seems to have gained the
upper hand in public life, and banality has come to
dominate both entertainment and the news media, this
tradition of scholarship, which encourages learning
and celebrates wisdom, has become more important
than ever. As your futures unfold, may you contribute
to the advancement of scholarship in whatever field
you have chosen for your career and, when the last of
your days is done, may each of you leave the world a
little better than you found it.
A heritage of learning and wisdom
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