{"id":749382,"date":"2026-06-20T11:41:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T11:41:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/749382\/"},"modified":"2026-06-20T11:41:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T11:41:10","slug":"i-deserve-to-be-here-bursaries-help-black-n-s-students-launch-health-care-careers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/749382\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I deserve to be here’: Bursaries help Black N.S. students launch health-care careers"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Text<\/p>\n

Listen to this article<\/p>\n

Estimated 3 minutes<\/p>\n

The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.<\/p>\n

More than just financial help, a yearly bursary program is helping a new generation of Black and African Nova Scotian students enter the medical field.<\/p>\n

When the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation announced its latest winners on Tuesday, it marked six years of a program dedicated to bringing more Black professionals into local hospitals.<\/p>\n

For Shanique McFarland, a student at Lockview High School, the award means she can focus on her education.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’ll definitely free up my time because I work two jobs and I have school,\u201d said McFarland. \u201cSo it’ll give me more time to work on school and better my grades.\u201d<\/p>\n

The foundation hands out two types of grants \u2014 an $8,000 award for a student of African ancestry, and a series of $2,000 bursaries for one African Nova Scotian student at each Dartmouth-area high school.<\/p>\n

The ceremony focused on community, bringing together local health-care workers, students, and past winners. <\/p>\n

\"AShanique McFarland won a $2,000 bursary, which she said will help her journey to work in respiratory therapy. (Colin North)<\/p>\n

Nathan Cromwell-Tesfazion received one of the grants in 2023. He worked with the foundation through his undergraduate studies, and will be attending medical school at Dalhousie University in the fall.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can say right away upon starting, I got an unbelievable amount of support from the foundation. I wouldn’t be where I am without them,\u201d he said. \u201cThey offered me employment, connected me with mentors, some of which are physicians who I’m still doing research with today.\u201d<\/p>\n

The foundation said the money is only one part of the equation. The program is also about proving to students that their hard work is recognized.<\/p>\n

Cromwell-Tesfazion said he became emotional when his medical school acceptance letter arrived.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know every day now when I walk into this hospital that I deserve to be here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"ANathan Cromwell-Tesfazion won the $8,000 grant in 2023. He will attend medical school at Dalhousie University this fall. (Colin North)<\/p>\n

The foundation has run the program for the last six years to ensure local health-care teams better reflect the communities they serve.<\/p>\n

Mariam Sulyman, a community partnership officer at the foundation, said these awards are a critical first step toward a stronger health system.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf your population feels seen in the health-care team that’s serving them, it’s a service to every single health-care professional no matter what ethnicity you are,\u201d said Sulyman.<\/p>\n

\"AMariam Sulyman said the bursaries are a first step toward breaking down barriers in health care. (Colin North)<\/p>\n

For McFarland, the long nights of studying are a worry for tomorrow. Today, she\u2019s grateful for a moment of recognition.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel really happy because I feel seen and appreciated for my achievements,\u201d said McFarland. \u201cI feel really appreciated by everyone here.\u201d<\/p>\n

MORE TOP STORIES<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Listen to this article Estimated 3 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":749383,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[49,48,84,392],"class_list":["post-749382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-healthcare","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-health","tag-healthcare"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/749382","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=749382"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/749382\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/749383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=749382"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=749382"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=749382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}