VIU grad wins Canada Graduate Scholarship

The national spotlight continues to shine on Vancouver Island University graduates.

Laura Booi, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction as a Psychology major last June, received  a Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada valued at $17,500.

She will study aging in the Health Psychology graduate program at the University of BC where they will top off her award with an additional $5,000.

“I’m really excited,” said Booi, who is originally from Ladysmith. “I didn’t expect this type of recognition at all.”

This past year, Booi completed her senior undergraduate research project at VIU entitled, "Comparison of Quality of Life of Older Adults Living in a Licensed Dementia Housing Facility to Community Dwelling Older Adults with Dementia."

She presented this research at the BC Psychogeriatric Association's annual conference in May and received an award for best student research.

“I’m really proud of Laura,” said faculty researcher Debbie Matheson of VIU’s department of psychology. “In addition to completing her degree, she has been busy conducting research with individuals at VIU and at the University of Victoria. Plus, she has managed to fit in time volunteering for community organizations as well.”

This isn’t the first time Booi has been rewarded for her academic excellence and community service. She won a Millennium Excellence Award ($4,000) in June 2007 which is designated to deserving students based on leadership skills, citizenship and community service, innovation, and academic achievement.

Booi said while she’s excited about moving to the big city to pursue her education, she’s going to miss her faculty professors at VIU. “I can’t say enough good things about how much they’ve supported me through my undergraduate degree,” she said. “The research experience I gained at VIU was fantastic. The faculty helped me discover my passion.”