Scholarships
Since its foundation, AmbCanada has supported the academic study of international affairs and diplomacy, and the fostering of global understanding.
In the past, AmbCanada has provided financial support for scholarships with Pearson College in British Columbia, the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives at the University of Victoria, OttawaU, the Raoul Dandurand Foundation at the University of Montreal in Quebec, and the Glyn R. Berry Memorial Scholarship at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia.
Some AmbCanada members have also established scholarships at Canadian universities. This includes the Ambassador Gary J. Smith Award at York University, and the Geoffrey F. Bruce Fellowship in Environment and Canadian Freshwater Policy at Toronto Metropolitan University.
The Deborah Chatsis Scholarship: Canadian Ambassadors Alumni Association Scholarship for Indigenous Students
Starting in 2021, through the leadership of AmbCanada Board member Robert Hage, we partnered with the Norman Paterson School for International Affairs (NPSIA) at Carleton University to offer a scholarship to an outstanding Indigenous graduate student enrolled in a program within its Faculty of Public Affairs. Preference is given to students pursuing studies at NPSIA. The scholarship is awarded annually.
The scholarship honours Deborah Chatsis, a member of the Ahtahkakoop First Nation in Saskatchewan, and the first Indigenous woman from Canada’s foreign service to be appointed ambassador. Sadly, Deborah lost her long battle with cancer in 2022, but inspired so many friends and colleagues with her courage, joy, and passion for Canada.
Students interested in the scholarship should apply through NPSIA.
Thanks to the generosity of AmbCanada members, with additional support from members of PAFSO, Global Affairs Canada and Carleton University, the scholarship has become a great success, now valued at more than $100,000. Carleton has endowed the fund, ensuring that the scholarship will continue to support Indigenous students in perpetuity. It is our hope that with continued donor contributions, the scholarship will be able to support an additional student annually.
Anyone interested in supporting the growth of the endowment is invited to make a contribution. You will receive a charitable receipt from the University.
Deborah Chatsis scholarship recipients
2025: Amy Spearman
Amy Spearman (she/elle/ella) is an intersectional human rights advocate, social innovator, and global citizen who has lived, worked, and studied across four continents. Multilingual and deeply rooted in her identities as franco-métis, queer, and neurodiverse, Amy brings unique experiences and an intersectional approach to every endeavor. Through the Canada Service Corps, she designed, implemented, and managed five community grant projects—totaling over $10,000—addressing social issues such as environmental stewardship and decolonization, veterans’ affairs, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, gender equality, and 2SLGBTQIA+ rights. Academically, Amy graduated with First-Class Honours in Global Political Economy from the University of Manitoba, where she was recognized as both a President’s Scholar and a BMO Leader of Tomorrow Scholar. Her academic distinction, coupled with her global experiential education and longstanding human rights advocacy, led her to pursue a Master’s degree in International Affairs with a specialization in Diplomacy and Foreign Policy at NPSIA. Guided by her vision of service, Amy aspires to join the Canadian Foreign Service, where she seeks to contribute her voice, talents, and lived identities to building intercultural bridges, fostering global cooperation, empowering future generations of global citizens, and—most importantly—positively representing Canada/Turtle Island on the world stage.
2024: Tayla Snache
Tayla Snache is an Indigenous student from the Chippewas of Rama First Nation. She is originally from London,Ontario, and spent her undergraduate years living in Brantford, Ontario. Tayla has a Bachelor of Arts in Forensic Psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University, with minors in Criminology and Forensics, and an MA from NPSIA, in the Intelligence and International Affairs stream. Tayla’s interests include psychology, crime and indigenous issues, and their intersections with intelligence and security. She has worked at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in the past, and is currently completing her co-op in the International Operations Division of the CBSA.
2023: Makenzie O’Quinn
Makenzie O’Quinn completed his undergraduate studies at Acadia University with a double major in Biology and Sociology.His capstone biology research was a histochemical analysis of the effects of microplastics on marine invertebrates, while his honours thesis in Sociology examined Indigenous perspectives on healing and sickness. Makenzie earned his Master of International Affairs at NPSIAwith a specialization in Conflict Analysis, having conducted research on transnational organized crime and human smuggling in the Darién Gap. Makenzie is currently employed at Global Affairs Canada.
2022: Zachary Griffiths-Julien
Zachary Griffiths-Julien joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2017 as an Infantry Soldier. In 2019, he garnered experience while deployed on OP PRESENCE as a member of the Force Protection team. He currently collaborates with the Équipe de recherche sur la politique internationale des conflits civils (ÉPICC) and is also a student collaborator with the Network for Strategic Analysis. In the past, Zachary has worked on the Conseils de sécurité Podcast, a coproduction between the Network for Strategic Analysis and the Canadian Defence and Security Network, under the supervision of Dr. Sarah-Myriam Martin-Brûlé. He was also among the lead coordinators for the 2022 edition of the Québec Undergraduate Security Conference (QUSC). He holds a bachelor’s degree (Honours) in International Studies from Bishop’s University. He is a master’s degree candidate at NPSIA, with a field specialization in intelligence and international affairs.
2021: Sage Shelton
Sage Shelton is a Métis student and an M.A. Candidate in International Affairs at NPSIA. An avid reader with a passion for promoting awareness of a range of social issues and injustices, Sage pursued studies in English Literature and Human Rights at the University of Winnipeg, completing her B.A. (Hons) in 2020. Sage is in the Health, Displacement, and Humanitarian Policy stream in her current program. Her research interests include refugee policy and forced displacement studies. Outside of her coursework, Sage is part of NPSIA’s E.D.I. committee and is actively involved in promoting E.D.I. for Indigenous and other discriminated-against communities. Sage hopes to carry her interests into her employment, working either in policy development or more closely on issues affecting marginalized populations.