Congratulations to graduate student Arvind Krishendeholl who has been awarded the highly prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, given to doctoral students for demonstrating academic excellence, research potential, and leadership skills in their chosen fields. The Government of Canada administers the scholarship which awards up to $50,000 per year for three years, for students working in social sciences and humanities, natural sciences, engineering and health. Named after Major-General Georges P. Vanier, the first francophone Governor General of Canada, the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Vanier CGS) program helps Canadian institutions attract exceptional doctoral students.
Arvind, who began his PhD program last year as a FAST (Faculty of Arts and Science Top Scholar) recipient, is working on a research project titled Representation Through Recognition: An Examination of Evolving Funding Regimes for Black, African, and Caribbean-Serving Non-profit Organizations Across Canada. Under the co-supervision of Dr. Alison Smith and Dr. Linda White, he is interested in "exploring the relationship between community-based civil society organizations and the state in advancing social policy initiatives for traditionally underrepresented groups including Black, Indigenous, women, and other historically neglected communities." His interest in this area comes from his experience working in various leadership roles in the community services sector where he witnessed first-hand "the often-overlooked role and impact of non-profit organizations in advocating for meaningful public policy in their respective communities."
With plans to eventually pursue a career in academia, Arvind said of the award: "Receiving a Vanier Scholarship is an incredible honour and serves as a powerful acknowledgement of the much-needed recognition of research that centers on the experiences and voices of those who often bear the brunt of systemic inequities and exclusion. A growing number of influential works in Canadian social policy have explored the historical and ideational forces which create and reinforce inequitable policy design. Through my research, I hope to build on this scholarship by highlighting the lived experiences of community actors and the everyday strategies of both resistance and resilience that they employ in navigating and reshaping social policy. Personally, this scholarship also deepens my sense of responsibility in ensuring that my work is not only academically rigorous, but also relevant and impactful to the community-at-large."