Fred Carmichael has been an influential leader who has committed himself to the economic growth and development of Indigenous people in Canada’s North. Fred Carmichael grew up on the land new Aklavik. When he was a young boy, he saw his first airplane, he fell in love with the dream of flying. He worked hard to purchase his own plane and eventually became the first Indigenous people in the Northwest Territories to earn his wings as a commercial pilot. When Fred Carmichael left the Gwich’in Tribal Council in 2008, twenty-seven businesses from across Canada recognized his efforts to provide northerners with northern training for northern jobs by contributing to this Student Award Fund. Through this Student Award Fund, Fred wished to encourage students to persevere through difficulties, as he had to do, in order to follow their dreams. The Fund awards students for their efforts and commitment to their studies in spite of any personal challenges. Contributors to the Fred Carmichael Student Award include the following business and organizations:Aboriginal Pipeline GroupBennet JonesBP CanadaChevronConoco PhillipsDevon CanadaDowlands Contracting Ltd.Field LawFirst Nations Bank of CanadaFlint EnergyGreat Slave HelicoptersGwich’in Ensign Oilfield ServicesGwich’in GeomaticsImperial OilInuvik Commercial Properties Joint VentureKiewit & SonsKPMGLedcorMackenzie Aboriginal CorpMGM EnergyNew North ProjectsNorth American Construction GroupPacific Western BankPetro CanadaRBC Capital MarketsShellTrans Canada Corporation