Fred Carmichael has been an influential leader who has committed himself to the economic growth and development of Indigenous people in Canada’s North. 

Fred Carmichael grew up on the land new Aklavik. When he was a young boy, he saw his first airplane, he fell in love with the dream of flying. He worked hard to purchase his own plane and eventually became the first Indigenous people in the Northwest Territories to earn his wings as a commercial pilot. 

When Fred Carmichael left the Gwich’in Tribal Council in 2008, twenty-seven businesses from across Canada recognized his efforts to provide northerners with northern training for northern jobs by contributing to this Student Award Fund. Through this Student Award Fund, Fred wished to encourage students to persevere through difficulties, as he had to do, in order to follow their dreams. 

The Fund awards students for their efforts and commitment to their studies in spite of any personal challenges. 

Contributors to the Fred Carmichael Student Award include the following business and organizations:

• Aboriginal Pipeline Group
• Bennet Jones
• BP Canada
• Chevron
• Conoco Phillips
• Devon Canada
• Dowlands Contracting Ltd.
• Field Law
• First Nations Bank of Canada
• Flint Energy
• Great Slave Helicopters
• Gwich’in Ensign Oilfield Services
• Gwich’in Geomatics
• Imperial Oil
• Inuvik Commercial Properties Joint Venture
• Kiewit & Sons
• KPMG
• Ledcor
• Mackenzie Aboriginal Corp
• MGM Energy
• New North Projects
• North American Construction Group
• Pacific Western Bank
• Petro Canada
• RBC Capital Markets
• Shell
• Trans Canada Corporation

In order to be eligible to apply for the Friends of Fred Carmichael Student Award Fund, you must be:

• Physically residing in an Aurora Campus community in the Beaufort or Sahtu region for 12 continuous months or more. 
• Enrolled in two or more courses in the Aurora College Adult Literacy and Basic Education (ALBE) or Developmental Studies program (applicant may not receive this award more than twice)
• Not in receipt of student financial assistance from NWT Student Financial Assistance, ISETS of other sources

The student award application form should be submitted in person, by email or by fax:

By email: celine.jerome@auroracollege.nt.ca

By fax: 867-777-2850 (Attn: Celine Jerome) 

Please see use the following application to apply. 

For any additional information, please contact Celine Jerome:

Email: celina.jerome@auroracollege.nt.ca

Telephone: (867) 777-7837

• 2024 
• 2023 Andre Blondin, Ashley Yukon, Florence Nasogaluak, Jeanetta Vaneltski-Prodromidis, Stephanie Cardinal-Clark
• 2022 No award
• 2021 No award
• 2020 No award
• 2019 Brett Elemie, Dakota Whitbread, Faith Raymond, Helen Squirrel, Kathryn Kataoyak & Laura Moses
• 2018 Amna Mohammed, Calvin MacCauley, Dale Ruben, John Robert, Konrad Grandjambe, Mahafuza (Dina) Khanom
• 2017 Chanel Bavard, Patricia Turo, Earlene Lucas, Tina Esau, Beverly Kimiksana, Ronnie Rogers, Ashley Yukon, Samuel Kodekin-Yakaleya, Rylan Green & Hannah Kataoyak
• 2016 Scott Atigikyoak, Raven Firth, Loretta Kelly, Joanna McKay, Riley McLeod, Sarah McNabb, Sharon Menacho & Carly Sayers