For students, by students: RMSA creates student-focused Impact Award

For a number of graduate students, finding the financial means to support themselves during their studies can be challenging. Many look to the awards, scholarships and bursaries made possible by the generosity of alumni and community partners.

The Rehabilitation Medicine Students' Association (RMSA) is no stranger to supporting their fellow students, having previously established two scholarships, including last year's RMSA Award. However, the newly established RMSA Impact Award, created by the 2017-18 executive and council with a contribution of $28,000, is the largest investment made by the RMSA.

"Students are often in need of financial support and rely on student loans, as well as part or full-time work to support themselves during their studies. We had the resources to help," explained Cassidy Fleming, the 2017-18 RMSA president. "The executive team and council considered other ways to use the money, including a community fund program for RMSA members to support their own faculty and community-based initiatives, and a placement bursary to help students on placements outside of Edmonton manage their living expenses."

Ultimately, the group developed an award that recognizes students who go above and beyond to make an impact in the faculty and the wider community it serves. Eligible students must include a letter with their award application outlining the impact they have made in one of three areas since entering the faculty: enhancing the Rehabilitation Medicine experience for others, exhibiting rehabilitation community leadership and/or facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration.

"While the award does give preference to students who have held an RMSA membership for two continuous years, increasing our membership numbers wasn't one of the reasons we endowed this scholarship," said Fleming. "One of the major goals of the RMSA is to continue to foster student engagement and a sense of community within the faculty through interdisciplinary initiatives."

The drive to increase collaboration and a sense of community within the faculty was given a boost on December 15, 2017, when the RMSA and the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize the RMSA as the official representative body of all graduate students in the faculty.

"With endorsements by the three department student groups, the RMSA is well positioned to facilitate both faculty-student and interdisciplinary student collaboration," Fleming said.

These developments and the focus of the Impact Award demonstrate a renewed drive to build a strong sense of community that will remain with students after they graduate and enter the professional world. When asked if this scholarship could be seen as a challenge for alumni to step up their giving, Fleming offered this perspective:

"To ensure students receive important financial support, we have to lead by example. Giving back to the faculty means supporting the future students who will be following in our footsteps."