Congratulations to Karen Honey, one of our two Madeline Korfman Memorial Scholarship recipients!
As noted by her nominator, Karen’s passion for education shines through in every setting. She brings a strong foundation of experience and a deep commitment to supporting children’s learning. Highly engaged in all of her courses, Karen is often the first to contribute to discussions by asking thoughtful questions that extend both her own and her peers’ understanding.
“Receiving the award was personally affirming because I always knew that I loved learning,” she says. “It was confirmation that my learning, my efforts, everything I’ve put into this, has not gone unnoticed. It made me feel proud of myself.”
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Growing up in the Yukon in a resource-focused community, education was not seen as a priority.
“I left school early in Grade 11,” recalls Karen. “I didn’t have a good formative school experience. There was often a real divide between the Catholic education system and recently graduated teachers who had come from far away. Competing ideologies would spill over into how we were taught.”
She went straight to work and found success in business, but without a high school diploma, the limitations eventually became clear.
“It wasn’t until I was at the midpoint of my career that it really became apparent how important that diploma was,” she says.
When Karen returned to complete her studies, her perspective on education shifted.
“I was upgrading at the university level, and I saw what school could be. Even in formal academic settings, there was so much room for agency — choosing your own courses and professors who genuinely wanted to hear your thoughts and hypotheses. It made me realize that school is actually pretty cool,” she says with a smile.
That renewed appreciation for learning planted the seed for change. After a successful career in business, Karen realized that she wanted something different for the next chapter in her life.
“I had a strong sense that I wanted to contribute in a more meaningful way, to be in service,” she reflects.
Karen decided to start her new career journey by completing a Bachelor of Arts. However, it wasn’t until the pandemic, after time to reflect, and encouragement from her husband, a long-time teacher, that she decided to pursue a career as an educator.
Now immersed in the Bachelor of Education program, Karen is finding that the experience has exceeded her expectations.
“The professors we’ve had are all one-of-a-kind educators,” she says. “They’re not just professors because they took a bunch of university courses — they’ve been teachers for 20, 25, 30 years. They know what they’re talking about, and they’re a wealth of information. I’ve really appreciated getting to know them and being taught by them.”
Karen has also valued the collaborative spirit of her cohort and the opportunity to learn alongside people from a wide range of backgrounds and life stages.
“There are students who are just out of university, and others who, like me, are making a big life change. We bring different perspectives and we learn from each other.”
Looking ahead, Karen is excited to step into a new role as an educator and contribute to the growth of young minds.
“I’m really excited to be entering the field and teaching elementary,” she says. “Being involved in educating young minds, inspiring wonderment and promoting the spirit of inquiry in the classroom.”
For prospective students considering the Bachelor of Education program, Karen suggests finding volunteer opportunities in the classroom.
“Do your research. Talk to a principal and see if you can volunteer. Try both elementary and high-school. See what you enjoy. I think teaching is a very rewarding career and I think that skills like the development of critical thinking and people’s ability to contribute to society is because of good teachers.”
About the Madeline Betty Korfman Scholarship
This scholarship has been endowed through a bequest by Madeline Betty Korfman to honour her love for teaching. Madeline Korfman taught school in southwestern Saskatchewan before relocating to the Okanagan in the mid-1900s. This scholarship is awarded to two teacher candidates who significantly demonstrate a “love for teaching” based on the recommendation of Okanagan School of Education faculty.