University student from Iqaluit receives Laura Ulluriaq Gauthier scholarship

An Iqaluit university student is this year’s recipient of the Qulliq Energy Corp.’s Laura Ulluriaq Gauthier scholarship.

Anchaleena Mandal of Iqaluit is studying at Queen’s University, in the university’s accelerated route to its medical school.

At the same time, she is working on her Inuktitut to better connect with future patients, a QEC release said last week.

“Ms. Mandal is a mental health advocate, a devoted community member and an accomplished musician. It is wonderful to present her with the Laura Ulluriaq Gauthier Scholarship,” said Jeannie Ehaloak, the minister responsible for the QEC, in a release.

“Her passion for learning, along with her willingness to share her academic and cultural knowledge with others, is inspiring.”

The $5,000 scholarship is presented annually in honour of Laura Ulluriaq Gauthier, originally from Pangnirtung, who died suddenly of a brain aneurysm in her sleep at the age of 30 in 2000.

A September 1999 issue of Time magazine had named her as one of Canada’s young people to watch.

Gauthier was an assistant deputy minister in Nunavut’s executive and intergovernmental affairs department, where she played a major role in the formation of the Nunavut Power Corp., which later became the QEC.

“QEC applauds Ms. Mandal’s achievements and wishes her continued success as she enters her third year at Queen’s University,” said Bruno Pereira, the QEC’s president and CEO. “Her dedication to higher education is commendable. She is setting herself up to accomplish great things.”

Last year’s scholarship was awarded to Jasmine Redfern, who is studying in Nunavut’s law program.