AU shares gift of learning with Aspen View grads

Athabasca University is sharing the gift of learning with high school graduates in the Athabasca region.

Class of 2024 Grade 12 graduates with Aspen View Public Schools will receive a complimentary Athabasca University course to be taken in their first year after graduation. AU board chair Byron Nelson announced the grad gift on June 19 at convocation celebrations in the university’s home community of Athabasca.

“I am delighted to announce today that Athabasca University will be offering courses to allow more than 250 Grade 12 Aspen View students from the Athabasca region to experience university life for the first time,” said Nelson to enthusiastic applause inside the Athabasca Regional Multiplex.

“Athabasca University is a university like no other with a mission to remove barriers to higher education, and this grad gift does just that,” said Dr. Alex Clark, AU president. “As AU continues to change the lives of our ever-diverse students in alignment with our new forthcoming strategic plan, we grow our commitments to access, opportunity, and community, including our home community in the Athabasca region.”

Aspen View ‘immensely thankful’ for grad gift

Aspen View superintendent Constantine Kastrinos said the school division is grateful for the grad gift. Aspen View schools are vibrant centres for learning and ambition, but geographic remoteness can sometimes limit access to higher education for their students, he said.

“This initiative speaks volumes about Athabasca University’s dedication to fostering educational opportunities that are inclusive, accessible, and flexible, and within our own community. It assures our students that no matter where their futures are built—in rural Alberta or beyond—they have robust support in their continuous pursuit of knowledge and personal growth.

“We are immensely thankful for this partnership with AU, and excited for the endless possibilities it unlocks for our students’ futures.”