Newly created UVic Scholarship named after local teacher

The University of Victoria (UVic) recently announced the creation of the Mark Deeley Entrance Scholarship, in honour of local science teacher Mark Deeley.

The entrance scholarship is “an annual award presented to an academically outstanding undergraduate student entering the Faculty of Science at the University of Victoria (UVic) from Tumbler Ridge Secondary School (TRSS),” says the newly minted page about the award. “This scholarship celebrates excellence in science education and supports the next generation of students pursuing post-secondary studies in scientific fields.”

According to the scholarship page, “Mark Deeley is an exceptional science educator, a UVic alumnus whom we admire and respect, and a deeply committed member of the Tumbler Ridge community. Through his passion for teaching and his dedication to student success, Mark has inspired countless young people to explore the wonders of science and to see themselves as future scientists, innovators, and leaders. His classroom is known for fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and a genuine excitement for discovery—qualities that extend far beyond the school walls.

“Established in his honour, this scholarship recognizes Mark’s lasting impact and his unwavering commitment to encouraging students to pursue post-secondary education in science. It also serves to elevate and celebrate the strength of science education at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, ensuring that students are inspired to pursue their academic dreams.

Deeley says he doesn’t know how his name wound up on the award. “As you know, there was an event in Tumbler Ridge earlier this year, and I was a participant in that,” he says. “When Premier Eby put my name out there, a lot of people from my past contacted me—professors from the eighties and that sort of thing. One old friend that I hadn’t spoken to in a long time—her name is Caroline—is now a professor down at UVic. We went to UVic together back in the nineties, and she started contacting people from our past who were friends back then. She also spoke to some of the people at UVic and I don’t know if she suggested or they suggested it, but the Dean of Science and the Chair of biology and biochemistry got together and they thought this would be a good idea. They contacted me and asked me if I was interested and if I was okay with it and I said it would be fantastic.”

He says the best thing about it is it’s meant for students who graduate from Tumbler Ridge Secondary School who are entering sciences at UVic.

He says that, unlike the Joey Moi scholarships that are given out in Tumbler Ridge, this one is not paid for by him. Instead, UVic is gathering donations for the fund. “People at the university raised money for this. It means that there’s enough money for students from our school to get this scholarship every year for the next few years, but they also want to raise even more money in order to keep it going for a very long time. I have nothing to do with the money or anything like that.”

He says that if enough people donate, they will be able to keep the scholarship going in perpetuity. “If we can raise more money, the scholarship will just keep going. The money there now came from private donors and from, UVIC themselves and from people who work at UV. But we’re looking to get some more donations, so that it can keep going for many more years.”

He is unwilling to say how much the scholarship would be, but describes it as “substantial”.

Deeley says he got his initial Bachelor of Science without any scholarships. “I gained some once I was in university,” he says. “Then I gained a substantial one that allowed me to get my master’s degree at UVIC. That’s how I ended up at that school. There are some scholarships out there once you’re in university, but a lot of the big scholarships happen the first year you go to university. And we’re lucky enough we have some substantial ones at TRSS. But this scholarship with my name on it is what they call an entrance scholarship, which is not handed out by anyone related to the high school itself. It’s handed out by UVIC. Students can apply for it when they apply to go to university And the university will look at all the applicants and decide who gets those entrance scholarships.

“Most of the time high schools don’t know what students get for entrance scholarships because it’s not in our purview to know. If one of our students gets this scholarship next year, we wouldn’t know unless that student let us know. It’s completely separate from the high school and from Tumbler Ridge, except for that it has the caveat that it has to be a student from Tumbler Ridge going into sciences.”

If there’s more than one student that applies at UVic for sciences, then there would probably be a competition. “If there’s only one, then that student would automatically get that scholarship to go in,” says Deeley. “It’s not anything like a full ride scholarship, but it will help with things like residence and tuition.”

Deeley says he’s glad to see the scholarship there. “UVic is a really good school, especially for the sciences. And I think it’ll help a lot of future doctors, a lot of future scientists, or pharmacists. We’ve had a lot of kids who left TRSS and went into the sciences over the last twenty one years. I’m really excited that it will help some people out. We have lots of great schools in Canada, but UVic happened to be one of the two that I went to.

“I also want the people in Tumbler Ridge to know how much I’ve appreciated their support. The nice things they wrote about me and what I’ve done as a teacher would never have happened without the support of the town. Not just the students, who have been amazing, but the parents and the public in general. None of this would happen without them.

“I’ve said it before: I absolutely love my home in Tumbler Ridge. It is an amazing place to live. It is amazing people. And I couldn’t feel more supported as a teacher.”

Donors help empower promising students to follow their passion for science, carry forward a tradition of academic excellence, and make meaningful contributions to their communities and beyond. To donate, just search for the Mark Deeley Entrance Scholarship.