The Sobey Award 2023-2024 Report to Community

Opening doors for learners to achieve the life they want for themselves and their families.

The Sobey Award Program, generously funded by R.G. Sobey and Family, aims to remove barriers that can make pursuing education difficult for those who may not have considered post-secondary education an option.

In this report, we're excited to share:

Letter from Rob Sobey

When we set out to create The Sobey Award at NSCC, we hoped it would be embraced by the community and make a difference for a lot of people, but I could not have imagined just how impactful it would be year after year.

Thanks to a terrific network of partners across the province, we receive a truly impressive list of referrals each year. I am continually moved by the stories of the recipients and their efforts to achieve their goals—a testament to the life changing nature of an NSCC education and a benefit that ripples out to the wider community, enriching our economy and our province.

To ensure the Program stays as responsive to evolving student needs as possible, the Sobey Award Advisory Council evaluates feedback from community partners, students and the NSCC Student Services team on an ongoing basis. Please know that we welcome your feedback anytime. This year, we updated the Sobey Award to be open to part-time students and added a process for full-time student recipients who need to reduce their course load. For the 2024-25 academic year we are very pleased to be in a position to increase the number of packages to 90, so you'll see that reflected in next year's report.

On behalf of The Sobey Award Advisory Council, thank you to all our partners in community organizations and government agencies for recommending students for this Award and for supporting them on their journey.

2023-2024 Impact by the numbers:

Words of appreciation from The Sobey Award recipients:

"Sincerely, Thank you. Without the entire experience of NSCC Test Drive, where I was able to attend the NSCC Akerley Campus for a day and partake in the first year Welding and Metal Fabricators class, Catapult for giving me the skills to be successful and Shawn Mantley the guidance counsellor of Highfield BFEC I would not be able to have the quality of life which I do and I truly feel blessed.

Since starting the Metal Fabrication program, now as a second year student I've received multiple Canadian Welding Bureau tickets, work and project opportunities which have completely broadened my scope of career direction, as well metal working artistry. The education I've received and knowledge collected has led other areas of my life to also blossom with many thanks to my instructors, Brad Smith, and Fred Crawley."

Chloe (2023-25 Sobey Award Recipient), Metal Fabrication, Akerley Campus

"I applied for the Mechanical Engineering Technology program at the Ivany Campus NSCC, and I got accepted. My dream is to work in international development and help others to have a better life through mechanical engineering. In the past every time when I was enrolled in school something bad happened and I was not able to continue my studies. This award contributes to my being able to continue my studies this time."

Khaled (2023-25 Sobey Award recipient), Mechanical Engineering Technology, Ivany Campus

Five year celebration

In November 2023, NSCC celebrated five years of The Sobey Award Program with a reception at the Ivany Campus attended by recipients, NSCC staff, community partners and The Sobey Award Program Advisory Council. Taking the time to mark this milestone allowed us to bring together current Sobey Award students and Sobey Award Alumni for the first time; it was a special opportunity to see first-hand the impact of the award and the network of recipients/alumni that's being created.

Recipients of The Sobey Award with Rob Sobey

Award recipients by location:

Community partners and community incentive prize recipients

We received referrals from dozens of partners across the province. In appreciation, we did our second annual draw for five community incentive prize recipients and the winners this year were:

  • Cape Breton region-Island Martial Arts Centre
  • Halifax Regional Municipality-Catapult Leadership Society
  • Northern region-EDGE Program
  • Southern region-Queens Rails to Trails
  • Valley region-Valley Community Learning Association

Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone who referred a student!

Thank you for your continued commitment to making an NSCC education possible!

NSCC Foundation | 5685 Leeds Street, PO Box 1153 | Halifax, NS | B3J 2X1

Phone: 902-491-2181 | Toll-Free: 1-866-745-7919 | foundation@nscc.ca

Charitable Registration Number: 887210318RR0001