Six Students from Commissionaire Families Honored with Educational Awards

September 5th, 2024

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Commissionaires Nova Scotia’s Board of Governors awarded six educational awards to family members of serving commissionaires. This year’s applicants showcased impressive academic achievements, strong community involvement, and ambitious goals for their futures. These students are pursuing studies in diverse fields, including Biology, Nursing, Psychology, Engineering, and Community Development. Learn more about their educational journeys below.

Each of the following students were presented with a $2,000 award to assist in their post-secondard education:

Ben Barreiro from Dartmouth, NS

Ben Barreiro, Commissionaire Gloria Brazeau-Schiebel and family pictured with CNS Board of Governor members, LCol (Ret’d) John Miller, LCol (Ret’d) Anne Espenant and incoming Board Chair Doug Ruck.

Barreiro is in his first year at Dalhousie University for his Bachelor of Engineering. His CNS Sponsor for the Educational Award is his grandmother, Gloria Brazeau-Schiebel, a commissionaire at Public Prosecution Services.

Nicole Blanchard from Lower Sackville, NS

Nicole Blanchard, former commissionaire Gordon McVicar, and family pictured with CNS Board of Governor members, LCol (Ret’d) John Miller, LCol (Ret’d) Anne Espenant and incoming Board Chair Doug Ruck.

Blanchard is in her third year of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Cape Breton University. Her CNS Sponsor for the Educational Award is her step-father, Gordon McVicar, who is a former commissionaire with Victoria Park Armories in Sydney.

Wyatt Carter from Middle Sackville, NS

Wyatt Carter, Commissionaire Mark Carter and family pictured with CNS Board of Governor members, LCol (Ret’d) John Miller, LCol (Ret’d) Anne Espenant and incoming Board Chair Doug Ruck.

Carter is in his first year of a Diploma in Engineering at Saint Mary’s University. His CNS Sponsor for the Educational Award is his father, Mark Carter, a commissionaire with Detail 85.

Alandria Hannam from Bridgetown, NS

Alandria Hannam, and Commissionaire Blair Hannam pictured with CNS Board of Governor members, LCol (Ret’d) John Miller, LCol (Ret’d) Anne Espenant and incoming Board Chair Doug Ruck.

Hannam is in her first year of a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Mount Allison University. Her CNS Sponsor for the Educational Award is her grandfather, Blair Hannam, a commissionaire at Greenwood.

Kennedy Steeves from Halifax, NS

Kennedy Steeves, Commissionaire Greg Kennedy and family pictured with CNS Board of Governor members, LCol (Ret’d) John Miller, LCol (Ret’d) Anne Espenant and incoming Board Chair Doug Ruck.

Steeves is in her first year of a Bachelor of Science at Queens University. Her CNS Sponsor for the Educational Award is her grandfather, Greg Kennedy, a commissionaire at RCMP Headquarters.

Ella Walsh from Middle Sackville, NS

Ella Walsh, Commissionaire Michael Gray and family pictured with CNS Board of Governor members, LCol (Ret’d) John Miller, LCol (Ret’d) Anne Espenant and incoming Board Chair Doug Ruck.

Walsh is in her first year of a Bachelor of Community Development at Acadia University. Her CNS Sponsor for the Educational Award is her grandfather, Michael Gray, a commissionaire with Detail 85.

The CNS Board of Governors administers the CNS Educational Awards program to provide post-secondary funding for commissionaires and their dependents (spouses, children, and grandchildren of serving commissionaires). This years awards were presented by incoming Board Chair Doug Ruck, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) Anne Espenant and Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) John Miller.

The CNS Educational Awards were first presented in 2002. Including the awards presented in 2024, the board has awarded a total of $151,000 in funds towards post-secondary education, assisting CNS employees and family members in furthering their educational goals. Commissionaires has helped support graduates in fields like Business, Medicine, Law, Culinary Arts, Education, Nursing, Engineering and more.

Each spring a call is issued for applications. Funding is awarded to successful applicants before the start of the academic year. Both full-time and part-time students are eligible.

We wish this year’s recipients the very best of luck with their studies. We look forward to hearing about their success and watching the development of tomorrow’s leaders.

Left: CNS Board of Governors Incoming Chair, Doug Ruck welcomes award recipients and their families.
Right: Pictured (left to right), LCol (Ret’d) John Miller, LCol (Ret’d), Alandria Hannam, Ben Barreiro, Ella Walsh, Nicole Blanchard, Wyatt Carter, Kennedy Steeves and Incoming Chair Doug Ruck.