Dominique Rochefort

Education student Dominique Rochefort explains how receiving a donor-funded bursary means more than the financial impact. “It changed my life knowing that I had people on my side. That I have people who were rooting for me before they even knew me.”

Finding support, a mentor and a friend

When Dominique Rochefort received her first University of Victoria bursary, she searched the name of the donor online. She wasn’t expecting to find much, and at first, she didn’t. She learned that Wendy Gedney is a retired teacher living on Vancouver Island, but not much else. When Wendy reached out to her by email, Dominique ended up finding both a mentor and a friend.

You can read more about Dominique and Wendy’s connection on the UVic Education website. 

As a mother of two young children, citizen of the Métis Nation, diagnosed with mild developmental coordination disorder, Dominique’s journey to become an empowered teacher was mined with self-doubts and life challenges. Read the news story about her path to graduation.