March 7, 2001 For Immediate Release

Mim Hughes, a University of Northern British Columbia student in the Women's Studies program, has received an award worth $100,000 to complete her doctoral degree at the University of South Australia. The International Postgraduate Research Award covers the full tuition costs of the entire three-year program (about $54,000), provides Mim with an annual non-taxable stipend of nearly $20,000, and covers all of her research costs (books, travel, etc). The total value is roughly $100,000 Canadian. Unlike many people, she is being allowed to begin her PhD program with first completing a master's degree.

The opportunity is even more interesting considering that Mim had to go back to school to complete high school. After completing her high-school equivalency (GED) at the College of New Caledonia, she enrolled with UNBC in 1996, and "the content of my first Women's Studies course just clicked with me," she says. Mim has lived in Prince George since 1983 and has three children. She will be graduating in May with a BA (First Class Honours) in Women's Studies after completing her last year of studies with straight A's.

"When I first found out that I had received the award, my reaction was one of utter disbelief," says Mim. "Being a global competition, you just hope that you're in the running, and it's such an honour to be awarded this scholarship. I really have to credit Dr Joanne Fiske and Dr Suzanne LeBlanc of the Women's Studies program for encouraging me to pursue such an incredible opportunity, and reinforcing my faith in my academic abilities. UNBC is fortunate to have professors that are of such world-class calibre. My husband and my children have also been of tremendous support."

"In Australia, I'll be studying the factors and political cultures that influence women to join fundamentalist Christian organizations," says Mim. Her research is focused on feminist themes, with an appreciation of how women's issues affect everyone. "People have their own ideas about feminism, but I define it this way: there are certain issues that affect women in particular and understanding those issues can only make life better for us all."

The University of South Australia has 25,000 students and its main campus is in Adelaide. Mim will start her PhD there in July, 2001.

A photo of Mim Hughes can be emailed upon request.