The Rady Faculty of Health Sciences generously matched all donations from Genetic Counselling alumni,
faculty, and organizations to establish an endowment fund at the University of Manitoba in 2023. The
purpose of the fund is to provide scholarships to marginalized students in the field of genetic counselling,
creating a population of counsellors who are representative of the population they serve.
Each year, beginning in 2025- 2026, the available annual income will be used to offer one or more
scholarships to graduate students who:
(1) are entering the first year of full-time study in the Faculty of Graduate Studies in the Master of
Science, Genetic Counselling program offered through the Max Rady College of Medicine;
(2) have achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.7 based on the last 60 credit hours (or
equivalent) of study;
(3) have demonstrated practical counselling training and experience including applying counselling
skills and techniques to support individuals with personal, social or psychological problems
and/or difficulties;
(4) have ranked high in the Genetic Counselling Admissions Match based on the Program’s
admissions rubrics for interview and application review; and
(5) have self-identified as a marginalized identity* in the genetic counselling profession.
*Marginalized identities can include but are not limited to genders including agender, bigender/multigender,
intersex, gender fluid, genderqueer, nonbinary, trans or transgender, two-spirit; sexual identities including
two-spirit, bisexual, lesbian, queer, gay, asexual, pansexual or questioning; individuals who identify as
racially marginalized, including Biracial /Multiracial, Black, East Asian, Middle Eastern or Arab, Hispanic,
Latino/a or Latin American, Pacific Islanders, South Asian, Southeast Asian; individuals who identify as
Indigenous, First Nations, Métis or Inuit and people/persons with disabilities as reported by professional
status surveys conducted by the National Society of Genetic Counselors and the Canadian Association of
Genetic Counsellors and peer-reviewed research which are confirmed by the Office of Equity and
Transformation and/or the Rady Office of Equity, Access and Participation at the University of Manitoba.
The Master of Science in Genetic Counselling Program will include a call for applications for the
scholarship each year as a part of the Genetic Counselling (MSc) Admission application.
The selection committee will have the discretion to determine the number and value of awards each year.
In years when there are no students who meet all the criteria, students who meet criteria (1) through (4) will
be considered for an award.
