25 students from Indigenous communities selected for tailored scholarship program that provides financial support towards post-secondary education.

TORONTO, May 21, 2024 /CNW/ - Today TD Bank Group (TD) and AFOA Canada are pleased to announce the 25 recipients of the 2024 TD Scholarship for Indigenous Peoples. This roster of successful applicants includes students from First Nation, Inuit, and Métis communities from coast to coast.

"We are proud to play a role in supporting students from Indigenous communities in their journeys towards achieving their academic and career ambitions," said Doris Bear, Vice President of Indigenous Banking at TD. "It is also our privilege to help connect them with employment opportunities under the program, as well as make our terrific network of colleagues and leaders available to them as part of this experience."

This scholarship program, which launched in November 2022, is managed by AFOA Canada, a not-for-profit led by Indigenous Peoples.

"The TD Scholarship for Indigenous Peoples can help transform the lives of students and is also an investment in the future of Indigenous communities," said Terry Goodtrack, President and CEO of AFOA Canada. "This scholarship helps empower the student recipients to pursue a positive future for themselves and their communities."

"I'm grateful to be a scholarship recipient and to be interning with the Human Resources team at TD this summer," said Cailen Davis, who is studying Business Administration at Saint Francis Xavier University.

"My career discipline has come from many things I've been through in my life that have challenged me mentally and physically. One of them is the Mi'kmaw concept of Two-Eyed Seeing. I believe it is important for everyone to accept the uncomfortable truths of the past while also taking responsibility for our future. I want to use my business education and learnings through the financial sector at TD to support me, my family, and community back home."

Each of the 25 successful applicants will receive $15,000 per year for up to four years to cover tuition costs and living expenses. Recipients will also be offered internship opportunities with TD to gain valuable work experience as part of the scholarship program and will receive an offer of full-time employment after the successful completion of their studies.

This year's recipients are:

The scholarship program is open to students who are members/citizens of a First Nation, Métis, or Inuit community. Applicants must be permanent residents of Canada and have applied for or be currently enrolled in a full-time, minimum two-year program with an approved post-secondary institution in Canada.

Visit TD or AFOA Canada to learn more about this year's recipients and for complete information about the TD Scholarship for Indigenous Peoples, including eligibility requirements. Applications for 2025 scholarships will be available online starting September 2024.

The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its subsidiaries are collectively known as TD Bank Group ("TD" or the "Bank"). TD is the sixth largest bank in North America by assets and serves over 27.5 million customers in four key businesses operating in a number of locations in financial centres around the globe: Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking, including TD Canada Trust and TD Auto Finance Canada; U.S. Retail, including TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank^®, TD Auto Finance U.S., TD Wealth (U.S.), and an investment in The Charles Schwab Corporation; Wealth Management and Insurance, including TD Wealth (Canada), TD Direct Investing, and TD Insurance; and Wholesale Banking, including TD Securities and TD Cowen. TD also ranks among the world's leading online financial services firms, with more than 17 million active online and mobile customers. TD had $1.91 trillion in assets on January 31, 2024. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades under the symbol "TD" on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges.

Now in its 25th year as an Indigenous Institution, AFOA Canada is the center for excellence and innovation in Indigenous management, finance, and governance.  It is the only organization in Canada that focuses on the capacity development and day-to-day needs of those Indigenous professionals who are working in all areas of management, finance, band administration, leadership, and program management. AFOA Canada's premise is that one of the keys to successful self-determination, creating a better life for Canada's Indigenous people and a better future for the next generation, lies in improving the management skills of those responsible for the stewardship of Indigenous resources.

SOURCE TD Bank Group