In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell emphasizes that being part of a supportive community is the most important factor in one’s chances of success. Regardless of intelligence or ability, it is a supportive community that encourages one to use one’s gifts.
King’s is such a community. Its curriculum nourishes ideas and creativity. Theatre, art, music and activism flourish here. The administrative staff are beyond helpful. The service and maintenance staff know our names. The library is a place of comfort and security. The teaching staff care about learning, and fueled by this, students want to question and learn. And our alumni ancestors support us; their scholarships and bursaries are encouraging King’s’ current generation to live to our fullest and take risks to improve our world.
Reflecting on my time at King’s, scholarships have been instrumental in making volunteering a financial possibility. They have enabled eye-opening travel. They have rewarded hard work. Scholarships and bursaries are an integral part of the support network of this community. I am thankful for the generosity behind these gifts and hope the important role they play is not forgotten.
Rosanna Nicol received her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in 2010. She received student support throughout her time at King’s. She sang with the King’s College Chapel Choir and played on the Dal/King’s Ultimate Frisbee team. She volunteered with the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and played a principal role in bringing in a student levy at King’s to support WUSC’s student refugee program.
Thanks to this totally student driven initiative, the first WUSC student joined the King’s Community in September 2010. That same month, Nicol began attending the University of Oxford in England on a Rhodes Scholarship.