A gift to the Queen’s Faculty of Law Bursary is a pledge that the Queen’s Faculty of Law will always welcome exceptional students regardless of financial circumstance.

Shelby Percival has known hardship, and life has not always been easy. She is the first to attend university in her family and her choices have all had to be carefully planned out.

Shelby has wanted to be a criminal lawyer since she was 16. A high school co-op placed her in court every day and she was immediately struck by the injustices experienced by marginalized groups.

She thought about the kind of lawyer she wanted to be and knew that Queen’s was the right choice. As an Indigenous person, she knows first-hand that discrimination and racism exist. The system is based on the dominant perspective, which is why she wants to one day sit on the Supreme Court of Canada.

The breathing room afforded to her by financial aid has meant Shelby can squarely focus on her aspirations for the future. She knows that it’s an ambitious goal, but Queen’s is the right place to be to achieve it. The foundation for her future would never have been possible without financial aid.

“I know I have lofty goals, but they would just be dreams without the financial assistance of Queen’s.”
– Shelby Percival, Queen’s Law student