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This year’s recipient of the , Maggie Larocque, wears quite a few hats.

“My full-time job is Coordinator and Site Manager at BGC South Coast, BC, a job that involves running a neighborhood house here in Vancouver,” says Larocque, who’s studying full-time in the MPNL program. “And I’m also the founder of the Uplift Canada Foundation, a youth-led organization that upcycles donated clothing. The Foundation work is close to my heart.”

The Scholarship is awarded annually to an outstanding graduate student who demonstrates a strong potential for leadership and innovation in community engagement. It was founded by Ted Jackson and Magda Seydegart for full-time students applying to the MPNL program.

Larocque also mentors children, and participates in a wide range of community projects.

“I balance work with full-time studies,” she says. “It’s a lot, but manageable. I’m a big planner, with the big calendars and everything. I’m constantly learning new things in class that I apply at work right away.”

“It means a lot to me that the Jackson family sees potential in me in the work that I’m doing in the community,” she says. “Personally, it feels like they’re supporting me and believe in me.”

She’s also an author. “I recently published a children’s book, . I originally wrote the book at age six, and inspired by the children I mentor, decided to revamp the story this past summer. It’s a story about self-confidence, self-esteem, grit and determination.”

Larocque is thankful to Dr. Susan Phillips and others for creating the MPNL program. “It aligns perfectly with the work I’m currently doing and the work I’m pursuing, including a PhD application,” she says.