John B Holdstock Scholarship

In honor of John Holdstock, a scholarship of $1000 is awarded each year to eligible post-secondary student in B.C.

The application window opens on March 1 and closes on May 15 of each year.

The successful recipient will be announced by June 30 each year.

About John B. Holdstock

The world is run by those who show up

Born in Weyburn Saskatchewan, John Holdstock passed away unexpectedly at his home in Kelowna on December 25th, 2010 at the age of 74. John is survived by his wife Morag and three children.

John obtained an engineering degree from a university and then spent over five years in the early 1960s working on radio relays in northern BC. John then became a chartered accountant, biding time with a number of companies until moving permanently to BC in 1978. John was the Secretary-Treasurer for BC Tree Fruits for 21 years. John was an explorer. Not only was he an avid reader with a wide-ranging area of interest, but he also loved to write. John enjoyed hunting, bird watching and delighted in the deer browsing through his yard.

John’s commitment to conservation and outdoor lifestyle was legendary. He was a member of the Kelowna District Fish and Game Club and President of the BC Wildlife Federation from 1996 – 1998. He twice received the President’s Award for Outstanding Volunteer Achievement and the Barsby Award for Conservationist of the Year. He was also a Director of the Canadian Wildlife Federation. John was a Director at the British Columbia Conservation Foundation in 2002 and Chair from 2003-2010.

With John’s passing we lost an avid outdoor recreationalist, conservationist, advocate and a friend. In honor of John, we set up a scholarship fund with our partners: Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Nature Trust of BC, and Okanagan Region Wildlife Heritage Society.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the John B. Holdstock Scholarship, applicants must:

1. Be a resident of British Columbia.

2. Be a full-time student attending a BC university or college in the upcoming fall semester.

3. Be enrolled in the sciences, resource management, environmetal studies, or a related field.

4. Currently hold a GPA of 3.0 or ‘B’ average or better (relevant transcripts for proof of grades must be included with application).

5. One Letter of Reference stating the applicant’s participation in outdoor conservation work involving fish, wildlife and/or habitat conservation in British Columbia.

6. Submit a brief essay (maximum 500 words) describing your interests in pursuing fish, wildlife and/or habitat conservation as a part of your academic studies (e.g. you may want to include information about relevant personal interests and activities, academic goals, academic achievements, career plans and how BC’s conservation movement might benefit from your contribution).

7. Be enrolled in a minimum 80% course load (NOTE a full course load may not be available to some Masters students. Where a full course load is not offered, this criterion does not apply).

8. Provide proof of enrollment at the University/College prior to being issued the award.

The Selections Committee provides weighted scoring to applicants with a proven record of interest in the outdoors (including hunting and fishing) and/or your intentions in using your education towards the conservation and enhancement of BC’s fish and wildlife and habitat.

Apply

We are not currently accepting applications. Please check back in 2026.

We recommend that interested students review the criteria, gather or create all electronic files and then return to the website to fill out and submit the application. Make sure you have acquired copies of all mandatory items listed below before beginning your submission.

Before applying, please:

1. Review your eligibility

2. Prepare all required documents in .pdf or .docx format:

• Essay (maximum 500 words)
• Letter of Reference
• Most recent transcript