Single parent and psychology student receives significant scholarship

While she’s always been drawn to the field of psychology, Mauricea Panchenko wasn’t sure if her interest would develop into anything further, particularly when it came to post-secondary education.

“I waited so long to go back to school because I did not believe it was an option for me,” she says.

Now, having finished her first year in VIU’s Bachelor of Psychology program, Mauricea is well on her way to fulfilling her educational and career goals after being chosen as the recipient of the Beedie Luminaries SPARK award. The award is meant to recognize the dreams and challenges of single parents like Mauricea who want to further their education and provide opportunities for their families but are facing financial adversity.

“It’s not only an award, but a program dedicated to success,” she says. “Receiving this scholarship means the world to me. It means I can finish my degree without having to be overwhelmed with the additional financial stress of how I am able to afford to live and be a good parent in this ever-increasingly challenging world.”

Mauricea says she will receive about $30,000 in total ($10,000 for each year remaining in her program), and that she must maintain a certain GPA and credits level to keep receiving the money over the course of her studies.

She’s also pursuing a minor in Indigenous studies and plans to continue her post-secondary education to pursue a Master’s degree in counselling psychology. Her long-term career goal is to work in Indigenous communities “facilitating healing and psychology with two-eyed seeing, nourishing cultural healing practices with psychology to facilitate the best healing for that particular individual.”

She credits her “own personal journey, attachment to and enthusiasm for mental health” for putting psychology on her radar. “It is important to have strong individuals with lived experience succeeding in this field. Having my minor focused on Indigenous studies and Indigenous ways of knowing and healing is extremely important to me.”

She also hopes her story will persuade others who may be on the fence about pursuing their passion to just go for it.

“You can do this,” she says. “Whether you’re a mature student, a single parent, a first-generation learner, struggled in high school, or have a disability, you can do this. There are many people who want you to succeed and are willing to put in the effort to help you do so.”

Reflecting on where she’s been, where she’s at and where she’s going, Mauricea says she’s grateful for the support she’s received from her loved ones, as well as from people she’s met along her journey, and for being able to find community “somewhere I didn’t even think I belonged.”