Patrick Tansey Scholarship

North South Studies created scholarships for high school students in 2002. The scholarships work in the Cinco Pinos region of Northern Nicaragua, which is where the North South students usually stay for the first two weeks of their month long trip. Even though public high school is free for students in Nicaragua, some students still may not be able to afford to go to school. The main costs reside in the cost of school supplies and uniforms. North South Studies attempts to ease this problem through the provision of scholarships.These scholarships cost about $33.00 per student, and are sufficient to supply the students with one school bag, one workbook, one ruler, erasers, pencils, pens, a pencil sharpener,a periodic table, graph paper, a uniform, and shoes for the uniform. As of 2011, the scholarships support 61 students from the comarcas of Las Pozas, El Carrizal, Las Tablas, La Uva, El Rincón, El Espino, El Jícaro and the communities near de La Montaña, Las Lajitas and Santa Fe. The scholarship students go to three schools: Escuela Secundaria Las Pozas, Instituto Santo Tomás, and Instituto de Paso Hondo.

In 2004, the scholarships changed to being called the “Patrick Tansey Scholarships” in the memory of Patrick Tansey. Patrick Tansey was a first year North South student when in January 2003 he was diagnose with melanoma- a cancer in his brain. Sadly he passed away before he could fulfill his dream of going on the trip to Nicaragua. This scholarship program keeps his spirit alive in a meaningful way for the youth of Nicaragua.

To make donations or find out more about the scholarship fund, please email: fjones@dawsoncollege.qc.ca