Philanthropy matters for academic achievement
Excellence in athletics, advocacy and undergraduate research
Jayse Heer-Matonovich has been disturbed by gender inequalities since she was 10 years old. She first challenged the status quo as a Grade 7 student when she wanted to try out for the boys’ basketball team, taking her challenge all the way to the school board. It sparked her passion for human rights, and she’s been leading the charge for change ever since. “I learned that change has to start somewhere, and even if it’s a slow process, it’s worth it,” she says. “That’s what lights a fire under me — knowing that if you continue to push and fight for change, things will happen.”
Now 19 and in her second year of a Bachelor of Arts degree at TRU, Heer-Matonovich is already a savvy researcher with an ardent commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
A scholarship winner and varsity athlete, she began as a volunteer research assistant with the cultural mapping and student training initiative at TRU in 2021 when she was still a high school student. Inspired by the experience and what she was learning about qualitative research, she pursued a self-directed research capstone project, initiating her own EDI study as a Grade 11 student at Sa-Hali Secondary School in Kamloops.
“From the outset, Jayse distinguished herself as an outstanding field researcher, demonstrating remarkable skill, independence, and an amazing work ethic,” says her faculty mentor Dr. Will Garrett-Petts.
Using a method called cultural mapping, she asked participants to sketch where in the school they encounter positive or negative experiences of equity, diversity and inclusion and collected over 130 responses from staff and students of varying ages, genders and ethnicities.
“The power of this method is there’s no wrong way of doing it and it includes everybody,” says Heer-Matonovich.
“I learned that change has to start somewhere, and even if it’s a slow process, it’s worth it.”
She reported on her findings and administration at Sa-Hali Secondary School implemented some changes to spaces in the school based on her research. Since then, she has presented the results of the study to the school district and multiple universities, including several faculties at TRU.
“We have all this data and now we’re moving forward to implement positive changes,” she says. “It’s a really cool opportunity to continue this work and I have a burning passion for it.”
On the basketball court, Heer-Matonovich was recruited to play her senior year at a basketball prep school in Niagara Falls, ON. She then signed with the TRU WolfPack — a homecoming opportunity she was delighted to pursue. Her parents are both TRU alumni and former athletes.
“One of the main reasons I decided on TRU is that I don’t know if I would have the same research opportunities at any other university,” she says “I loved playing basketball in Ontario, but I missed doing research. At TRU, I was able to do both.”
Thanks to donor support, along her journey Heer-Matonovich has been recognized for her determination and commitment to athletics and academics with several scholarships and awards. In 2024, she received an award for having one of the top 10 grade-point averages in the Faculty of Arts — earned while juggling multiple research projects, court-time and rehabilitation from an injury that kept her sidelined for much of the 23/24 basketball season. In 2023, she was the recipient of the Kamloops Sports Legacy Award, the Kerry Lynne Roberts Memorial Award, and was one of nine students to be awarded the TRU Ambassador’s Entrance Scholarship.
“I’m so thankful for all the awards and scholarships I’ve gotten,” she says. “If it wasn’t for the financial support, I wouldn’t have been able to focus on all the research I was doing, continue to train hard for my sport and athletics, and focus on my studies. It takes the financial stress off and allows me to focus on the things I love to do.”
Continuing with her undergrad, Heer-Matonovich is grateful for all the support she receives from the TRU community and is more dedicated than ever to advocating for human rights through research and community engagement. Her sights are set on law school and post-grad studies, and she knows TRU is the right place to be to pursue her passions.
“TRU’s Envision goals challenge us to become Canada’s leading university in research and scholarship based on community partnerships and undergraduate research training,” Garrett-Petts says. “We are intent on providing equitable access to meaningful research experiences for all students. Research puts knowledge into practice and allows students to use critical thinking to test their knowledge in a new, applied way.”
Outside of her studies, Heer-Matonovich is also actively pursuing a new athletic endeavour — rugby — after being selected by Rugby Canada to move to the second phase of testing following an RBC Training Ground qualifying event.
