Nunavut law school student wins QIA’s Amagoalik scholarship

Nastania Mullin is this year’s recipient of the 2017-2018 John Amagoalik Scholarship which honours the efforts of Amagoalik towards the betterment of Inuit in Nunavut.

A student entering the Akitsiraq Nunavut law school program this month, Nastania Mullin of Resolute Bay, is this year’s recipient of the of the 2017-18 John Amagoalik Scholarship.

The scholarship, awarded by the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, honours the efforts that longtime politician Amagoalik made towards the betterment of Inuit in Nunavut.

“I am pleased to see that young students, like Nastania Mullin, are continuing the legacy of the work started by my generation to build Nunavut as a strong, independent and prosperous region,” Amagoalik said in a QIA release.
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“Education will give young people the tools they need to be tomorrow’s leaders and with this QIA scholarship we’re giving students like Nastania Mullin assistance to pursue their dreams.”

The annual scholarship, announced by the QIA Sept. 6, will provide Mullin with $5,000 towards his studies in the Juris Doctor Program at the University of Saskatchewan offered at Nunavut Arctic College this September.

“This scholarship is going to be a big help to me as I transition from full-time work to law school, especially because I’m a single father,” said Mullin, speaking about the scholarship in this video.

Mullin, the father of three children, now lives in Iqaluit, where, before starting his law studies, he served as a manager in the Government of Nunavut’s devolution secretariat.

In Mullin’s winning essay, part of his scholarship application, Mullin made the connection between his work on devolution and Amagoalik’s work on the negotiating team that created Nunavut.

“Devolution is the next step in the process,” Mullin wrote.

The John Amagoalik Scholarship is available to Inuit students from the Qikiqtani region pursuing post-secondary education, with the QIA prioritizing applications from post-secondary students entering a field that promotes Inuit language and culture.