Charles Nixon Travel Bursary in Human Geography and Environmental Studies. Established in 2017.
Thanks to a very generous donation from alumnus Charles Nixon, Geography and Environmental Studies undergraduate students enrolled in human geography and environmental studies are eligible for a bursary to assist in defraying the costs of academically related travel.
Charles Nixon really appreciated the opportunity to study human geography at Carleton. On leaving Carleton he spent a year at the Scott Polar Research Institute at Cambridge doing graduate work and then joined the Canadian federal public service. Charles spent his first 15 years working on Indigenous issues such as settling land claims in the north and BC, the creation of Nunavut, and other pressing issues working at Indian and Northern Affairs and the Privy Council Office. He then switched to work on labour market issues at Human Resources and Social Development. There he rose to senior positions to lead the Employment Insurance Program, help implement Service Canada, and lead change as Chief Information Officer. He says he used his geographic background in all the positions he held.
As to why Charles chose to set up this bursary, he expected undergraduates didn’t always have much money for travel after tuition, books and living expenses are met. He feels that it’s important for students to get out of the classroom and study about other places, people, cultures and systems in order to understand the world better and how it might be improved. He hopes others will share his view and will contribute to this bursary so more students might benefit.
The Charles Nixon travel bursary is now endowed. Students can begin to receive the award in the 2018/19 academic year.
The fund has been added to FutureFunder. Additional gifts can be made through the site, at this link: https://futurefunder.carleton.ca/giving-fund/charles-nixon-travel-bursary-human-geography-environmental-studies/