An exceptional student, a passionate teacher and educator, Dr. Shelley Martin dreamed of one day teaching at UBC Okanagan. Her dreams were cut short on May 3rd 2007, when she was killed by a drunk driver in Lafayette Louisiana, just days before her PhD was to be conferred. She was 31 years old.

Shelley was born in Kelowna BC. At the age of 12 she moved to Victoria where she excelled academically. She obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Victoria, and her Master of Arts from Boston’s Emerson College.

Shelley was an instructor at the former Okanagan University College for 2 years. She received a fellowship to attend the University of Louisiana to complete her PhD. Once finished she had hoped to return to the newly created UBC Okanagan in Kelowna BC, to teach English in the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies. A tireless volunteer with a particular passion for women’s issues, Shelley dreamed of launching her academic career.

Shelley completed her Ph.D. at the University of Louisiana – Lafayette April 17, 2007, finishing her final year with a GPA of 4.0/4. Her parents accepted her Doctorate Degree posthumously at the university’s convocation exercises May 19th, 2007.

The family of Dr. Shelley Martin has established the Dr. Shelley Martin Memorial Scholarship at UBC Okanagan to honour her memory and offer financial help to students who shared her passion for English literature and writing.

The Dr. Shelley Martin Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund supports one student annually pursuing an honours undergraduate degree in English. This scholarship will forever recognize Shelley’s passion for education and her love of the Okanagan.

It is a comfort to Shelley’s family that her legacy will continue to live on through endowments like the Dr. Shelley Martin Memorial Scholarship, one of four established in her memory at post secondary institutions in Canada and the United States.

Family and friends are encouraged to make additional contributions to the scholarship endowment fund to ensure sustainable support for future generations of students and to ensure Shelley’s memory and dreams shine on in the recipients of her award.

“There is nothing Shelley would have wanted more than to help a student get a university education,” says Terry Martin, Shelley’s father.