Aspiring nursing student receives BDM scholarship to help accomplish her dream

Cindy Coombs proudly receives her BDM scholarship cheque from UFCW Canada Local 1252 President Gary Tracey.

Every year UFCW Canada awards 18 dedicated and commendable students with the Beggs-Dowling-Mathieu Scholarship of $1,000 each. One of this year’s recipients is Cindy Coombs, a dedicated university student working towards a Bachelor of Nursing Degree at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. Cindy is currently a practicing LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) who realized she wanted to further her education in nursing shortly after she started working in the field.

The Beggs-Dowling-Mathieu Scholarships Program has awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships to UFCW Canada members and their families over the past two decades. The scholarship was named as a lasting tribute to three past union leaders: William Beggs, Fred Dowling, and Roméo Mathieu. The scholarships are allocated across Canadian regions and help provide UFCW Canada members with the resources they need to accomplish their educations and benefit their futures.

For Cindy, the scholarship has provided her with the opportunity to fulfill her dream of becoming a great nurse. “A nurse,” Cindy says, “is someone whose number one priority is making the patient feel better. This is the type of nurse I want to be and this scholarship has helped me become one step closer, so I'm very grateful.” Cindy is the daughter of UFCW Canada Local 1252 member Jocelyn Coombs, who works at Gulf Shrimp Limited in Black Duck Cove. Cindy will continue her degree this September at the Center for Nursing Studies in Newfoundland and will graduate in 2014.

If you are a UFCW Canada member, you, your spouse and children are eligible to apply if attending full-time studies at a Canadian university, college, or other recognized post-secondary institution. You could also win an iPad if you refer another student to complete a BDM scholarship online. Go to www.ufcw.ca/scholarship for all the details.