Award Overview

Dr. Mike DeGagné, President & CEO of Indspire, has generously created an opportunity for additional support for Congress 2025 for Indigenous students.    

Dr. DeGagné is a member of the Animakee Wa Zhing 37 First Nation and is a leader in Indigenous healing and post-secondary success. Formerly, Dr. DeGagné served as the Board Chair and interim Chief Administrator for the Federation of the Humanities and Social Sciences. Learn more about Dr. DeGagné here.  

This fund celebrates and amplifies the important contributions that Indigenous students are making in academia and to their communities. It also serves to address historical and ongoing practices that discriminate, exclude, and harm Indigenous communities in academic environments and beyond.    

Eligibility

Candidates must meet the following criteria:  

  1. Self-identify as Indigenous;  

  1. Be a student (undergraduate, graduate, or diploma academic program) enrolled in a recognized post-secondary institution;  

  1. Submit a personal essay of up to 500 words on themselves, their community and relations, and their research; 

  1. Be a member of one of the Federation’s scholarly associations that will be hosting a conference at Congress; 

  1. Attend Congress 2025 either in-person or virtually (the Federation will verify whether the student picked up their badge at the onsite registration desk or logged into the Congress Virtual Platform).  

We are centering the lived experience of students in sharing if they are a member of Indigenous communities with no exaggeration, falsification, or misrepresentation.   

If you are unsure about your eligibility and would like more information, please email us at congress@federationhss.ca.  

Process

Eligible applicants can apply directly to this fund by submitting the application form.   

Recipients will be selected through a lottery among eligible candidates. 

Applicants must submit a personal essay of up to 500 words about themselves, their community and relationships, and their research. However, the essay's quality will not impact award decisions beyond confirming eligibility. With the applicant's consent, the recipient’s name, bio, and social media handles may be shared when announcing recipients of the Mike DeGagné Fund, at the Federation's discretion.  

Funding decisions will be communicated to all applicants by June 20, 2025.    

To apply, please submit this form by June 6, 2025 at 23:59 ET.   

Responses to this form will be kept confidential within the Federation unless consent is provided for disclosure during the promotion of awardees.  

Apply for the award