New award honors memory of MAEEC student

Donations are now being accepted to support a new bursary that honors the memory of MA in Environmental Education and Communication student Caroline Bernard who was tragically murdered last fall.

Established by Caroline’s mother Margarita Bernard and RRU, The Caroline Bernard Memorial Award will support MAEEC students with financial need who are parents and identify as female. Preference will be given to students doing research on children and nature, which as MAEEC Program Head Dr. Hilary Leighton explains was the focus of Caroline’s research.

“At the time of her death Caroline was working on a major research project that was to take the form of a letter written to her young daughter, Alice, and intended to be read when Alice was older. In Caroline's research vision, the letter would explain why she had chosen to bring a child into a world more and more severely impacted by climate change and other ecological destruction. It would also explain why she had chosen not to give Alice a sibling. The letter was to include her own thoughts and feelings and the thoughts and feelings of other women who had chosen either to have or not to have children. Relevant literature would provide context for individual experience. Despite Caroline's awareness of the difficulties her daughter and other young people will face, her research--like Caroline herself--was filled with hope and compassion.”

The news of Caroline’s death deeply affected those in the MAEEC program, says Hilary, who describes Caroline as “a shining light” -- someone who made friends easily and would readily lend support to other student parents in the program.

Hilary says she hopes the Royal Roads community will consider contributing to this award, adding “no amount is too small” so that the memory of Caroline will become a beacon for other mothers  in MAEEC.

If you would like more information on honoring others at Royal Roads, please contact our Advancement team at 1-866-207-0080.