Samantha in her Easter bonnet with her Dad, Garnett Maracle, in 1954
Samantha Maracle (BSc/74) grew up on her family’s farm: a sprawling property within the Tyendinaga Mohawk Nation bordering the Bay of Quinte. She lived with her parents and grandparents and fondly recalls growing up with and among nature.
While her life has taken her away from Tyendinaga, the community still has a piece of Samantha’s heart. It was this ongoing connection to her community, her passion for education and her fond memories of her time at Carleton University that drove her to partner with Carleton to establish a first-of-its-kind bursary: the Mohawk Nation Education Bursary. This endowed bursary, created with her cousins, Lisa and Tom Maracle, other close family members, and Carleton University, will provide support and a vision for the future, to youth living on the Tyendinaga territory.
Tyendinaga was (and is) a community comprising of genuinely kind individuals who appreciate above all else the value of education, honesty and integrity—values that Samantha has internalized and carried with her throughout her life and career.
The Maracle family hopes that award recipients will feel a responsibility to maintain the bursary down the road and continue the legacy of supporting Tyendinaga youth together. “If everyone considered future generations and saw the benefits of philanthropy, there would be a more sustainable future for the education of Indigenous students. This is possible through Tribute Gifts honoring all Mohawk Elders.”
The Mohawk Nation Education Bursary will be awarded annually to undergraduate students in demonstrated financial need who are registered members of a Mohawk territory and are entering or continuing in any full-time program of study at Carleton University. Preference will be given to registered members of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte (Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory). Endowed in 2020, this bursary honors and respects the land, language, and culture of the Mohawk People. Above all, it is a Tribute to our Elders.