February 25, 2014 - For the fifth year, the Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario (AJEFO) will present two “Carrières en justice” scholarships in support of students pursuing, in French, an education in the field of law, in turn reinforcing quality emerging professionals in Ontario.
This year, the applications of two young women drew the attention of the Selection Committee, whose members were particularly impressed by the students’ attachment to the Franco-Ontarian culture, their strong desire to work in French and their willingness to contribute to the development of their community.
Vivian Ellery, 2nd year Law and Justice student at Laurentian University and Lydie Fagnia, who studies in the Legal Assistant Program at Collège Boréal, were the two students chosen to each receive a $1,000 scholarship.
Vivian Ellery aspires to a career in criminal law in Northern Ontario. Even though both of her parents are Anglophone, she did all of her schooling in French, always motivated by the French language, and never considering it just for convenience. Vivian is active in the community, notably at the Centre for Research on Social Justice and Policy where she contributes to the topics of poverty, homelessness and migration.
"Laurentian University is proud of both the academic and community excellence rewarded today by the AJEFO Scholarship, said Dominic Giroux, president and vice-chancellor of Laurentian University. By making Laurentian their university of choice each year, students like Vivian find in our programs a privileged space in which they can express their many talents and fully contribute to their community."
Originally from Cameroon, Lydie Fagnia lived through a situation of injustice in her home country, which sparked her desire to study in the field of law and also brought her to value Canada as a country where human rights are respected. While studying, she is also involved in many community events for immigrants, including justice awareness workshops.
The AJEFO is proud to recognize the involvement and motivation of these students in promoting the French language in their community as well as their future professional practice and is pleased to support them in their postsecondary pursuits.
The AJEFO is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting access to justice in French in Ontario.