Aurora College student Allison Forbes awarded 2019 Edets’seèhdzà studentship

The inaugural Edets’seèhdzà Studentship has been awarded to third-year Bachelor of Nursing student Allison Forbes from Yellowknife. The Studentship is a $20,000 stipend that supports a returning Aurora College student to be involved in health research during their studies.


The Edets’seèhdzà Studentship award is funded by Hotıì ts’eeda, and provided through a partnership between Hotıì ts’eeda, Aurora College and Aurora Research Institute. Edets’seèhdzà [eh-dey-tsay-zah] means “stepping forward to challenge yourself” in the Tłı̨chǫ language.

Allison is a nursing student at Aurora College in Yellowknife and will be entering her 4th year of study this September. Throughout her education, she has participated in a number of research projects as a research assistant with the Aurora Research Institute, including Learning from Mothers, Grandmothers, and Great Grandmothers breastfeeding research, and the GNWT Approach to Action Against Family Violence research project. Allison is interested in community health, and hopes to build a career in rural and remote nursing.


Through the stipend, Allison will be able to participate in Indigenous health research in the NWT. This work will support her long-term career goal of becoming a community health nurse. Forbes will be working with Aurora Research Institute Manager of Health Research Programs, Dr. Pertice Moffitt, on several projects to broaden her perspective on Indigenous and northern health and research.


“Through the Edets’seèhdzà Studentship, Hotıì ts'eeda is providing support to students to gain deep and meaningful involvement in health and wellness research in the NWT. The goal is to build the skills and capacity of homegrown researchers and health professionals to shape the health research landscape.”


-Dr. John B. Zoe, Chairperson, Hotıì ts’eeda


“Aurora College and Aurora Research Institute are proud to support initiatives that strengthen research capacity in the NWT by providing Aurora College students an opportunity to engage in research while pursuing their studies. The Edets’seèhdzà Studentship is an amazing partnership between connected organizations with this goal in mind. We are proud of Allison and look forward to her future accomplishments.”


-Tom Weegar, President, Aurora College