College of the Rockies student wins big award

The Centennial Leaders Entrance Award was created to celebrate UBC’s 100th year.

Kara Froese, winner of the Centennial Leaders Entrance Award from UBC. — Photo courtesy COTR

College of the Rockies’ University Studies Science student, Kara Froese, is the recipient of a life-changing entrance award from UBC – Vancouver.

The Centennial Leaders Entrance Award was created to celebrate UBC’s 100th year.  Recipients are academically qualified students who wish to attend UBC but who would not be able to without significant financial assistance.  Consideration is also given to applicant qualities such as leadership skills, involvement in student affairs or contribution to community service, recognized achievement in fields such as performing arts, athletics, debating or creative writing and achievement in math or science competitions or examinations.

As a recipient of the Centennial Leaders Entrance Award, Froese’s tuition, books and living expenses (including a meal plan) will be covered – up to $20,473 per year – for the remaining three years she needs to complete her Bachelor degree.

“I am so overwhelmed to be receiving this award.  It is 100% an answer to prayer.  It means that I can pursue the degree of my dreams without stressing over having to work or taking out student loans,” Froese says.  “I feel very humbled but also very determined to not let this blessing go to waste.”

Froese, who was a member of the College’s 2015/16 PACWEST Championship winning women’s Avalanche volleyball team, was also the recipient of a PACWEST Academic Excellence Award and a CCAA National Scholar Award in the 2015/16 season.

A University Studies – Science student at the College for two years, Froese will be transferring to UBC to complete a Bachelor of Science in Forest Science degree.  Her strong work ethic and determination, combined with the skills preparation she received at the College will help to ensure she meets her goals.

The British Columbia Council on Admission and Transfer (BCCAT), which looked at students who transferred to a degree-granting institution between 2008 and 2012, found that students who began at the College before transferring to university graduated with a higher grade point average (GPA) than students from most other BC colleges and universities. Further, 85 percent of College of the Rockies transfer students completed their degree – the highest completion rate of transfer students from any BC institution.

“Two years at College of the Rockies helped strengthen my work ethic which I know will be important as I move into upper-year courses,” says Froese.  “Attending the College was a great way to ease back into school.  Class sizes are small and the instructors in the University Studies – Science department are really friendly and helpful.”

“We are so happy to see Kara being rewarded for her hard work over the past two years,” says College of the Rockies Dean of Business and University Studies, Darrell Bethune.  “Helping our students excel like she has is what we strive for every day at the College.”

Froese credits the supports she received both inside and outside the College for her achievements.  “The amount of extra help I received through the professional math tutor was invaluable to me.  The fact that the College provides these kinds of services shows that the institution really cares about student success.”

“I also have a great group of friends from my church who have supported me by encouraging me, praying for me, or cooking meals for me - as an athlete, this was key,” she adds.

Though excited about her next chapter, Froese has mixed feelings about leaving College of the Rockies.   “I loved being able to walk into the building and know the majority of people I saw.  I am excited to go to UBC but I will definitely miss the small-college atmosphere.”

Learn more about University Studies – Science at: cotr.ca/university.