Janine Williams Memorial Scholarship

 "I believe a substantial change can be brought about by collection of simultaneous small changes; To create a massive change in a society we have to start with individuals. As an individual who was accepted with open arms to be a part of Canadian society, I am determined to better this society by actively pursuing my goal of becoming a dentist and encouraging females to follow their passions fearlessly." 

2017: Nazli Abhari

 Being involved in my community has been a part of my life since elementary school and continued during my high school years. I am an athlete who has played Rep soccer for many years and I also dance competitively. By volunteering as an assistant teacher at my dance school for 3 years, I was able to meet younger dancers, who are eager to learn and it was a privilege to watch them grow. Dance builds confidence as well as strength, while having fun. Teaching an array of ages and skill levels was an experience that will assist me in my future work. One student was developmentally challenged and I enjoyed the smile dance brought to his face each week. I also mentored younger students at my high school in Science, through the Peer Academic Leadership program (see attached reference). My volunteer efforts have also taught me how to balance extracurricular activities with my school work in order to maintain academic excellence. 

2015: Kia Halsall - Copy - Copy

 Since childhood, I’ve always had the dream of becoming a physician. This aspiration stems from an interest in science, particularly biology. Medicine is a career that will allow me to apply what I’ve learned to better the lives of others. After graduating from high school in 2006, I attended the University of Toronto at Mississauga to pursue studies in life sciences. Currently, I am a second year student at Ryerson University pursuing my 2nd degree in Occupational Health & Safety. With hard work and dedication, I was able to achieve a cumulative GPA of 4.01, make it unto the Faculty’s dean’s list for both the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 calendar years, and become distinguished as a Ryerson Scholar. My next educational feat will be to enter medical school. I will be completing my studies this upcoming school year. My goal is to become an occupational health physician. As work is an integral part of our lives, it is of special interest to me that employees work in conditions that are safe. Through the application of studies, I will be able to improve worker health conditions and reduce risk factors which can lead to adverse health effects. 

2014: Patchardo Mulholland

 Further, I would be involved in research projects that study current health care protocols in order to propose and implement proactive modifications or new policies as they are needed. I intend on pursuing a Master’s of Science in Health Systems from the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa (either prior to or after my degree in Medicine) in order to gain the expertise required to make such assessments. As I mentioned earlier, alternative medicine is a subject that fascinates me especially in regard to caring for the elderly. The lack of research in this domain is deplorable, and I aim to help bridge the gap by helping current practitioners educate Canadian society about the potential flexibility of their care plans. 

2013: Eleni Leverault

 Sometimes you need to run out of time before you truly appreciate it, but I hope to be able to save someone, to help them see and value what they have in their lives and to give them another chance to truly appreciate it all. I hope to achieve all this through awareness campaigns, starting a movement towards living fuller lives. This isn’t something I will do only once I become a doctor; it is something I am doing now. Through my volunteering where I put on a positive attitude and remind patients of the beauty of life and try to pass on some inspiration. I want to remind the human race what it means to help others, to help each other, and to live meaningful lives. 

2012: Sorina Stef

 Educating myself in social work and community development will allow me to identify and address the barriers, inequities and injustices that exist in Canadian society. I have chosen this specific path, as I believe social work utilizes a variety of skills, techniques, and activities consistent with its holistic focus on persons and their environments. More specifically, to achieve a better understanding of conditions from social, economic, and political perspectives, I hope to practice social work principles in various or specific communities in order to engage in policy analysis. The analysis assists in developing strategies towards achieving some form of sustainable change. In any situation, the communities of focus must play a leading role in defining the issues and developing the solutions. 

2011: Farrah Chanda Aslam

 With my post-secondary education I hope to further the productivity of our society by ensuring the health of its citizens. Specifically in Canada, many have recently been criticizing our health care system. For example, there is not enough focus on broader efforts to prevent illness and injury and keep the population as a whole healthier rather than just curing those after they have become ill. Being a Health Sciences student I have come across this theory a number of times and believe that the key to creating a healthier society, in a financially sound way, is to begin to transform the health care system from one where several healthcare professionals focus primarily on managing illness, to one in which people work collaboratively to deliver an integrated array of services to Canadians. Although an ambitious dream I hope to be one of the founding professionals to make this dramatic shift in our health care system. 

2010: Asha Shelton

 My academic life and career are tightly linked. Core issues I have focused on in work, stem from my ability to disseminate knowledge and formulate views and opinions that shape my actions. The pursuit of my MSW will provide me with the opportunity to creatively develop research plans and lay the foundation for my professional community work. Through obtaining my MSW I will also continue my commitment to learning new techniques to usher in social change and equality for seniors with dementia. Moreover, through study and completion of my MSW I will exemplify leadership capabilities through my ground breaking research that incorporate mechanisms of support to individuals, families and communities. 

2009: Melice Mitchell

 Education is a never ending process. With it our world can progress greatly in various ways if we allow for change to take shape. Education teaches us to perform simple routines from giving us the skills we need to make a living for ourselves, to forming more complex ideas that devise solutions to help combat issues of poverty and racial discrimination. With my post-secondary education as a backdrop for further education, I know that the knowledge I gain can positively contribute to Canadian society in all of these ways, and for all the reasons that I have mentioned. After all, in order to live a balanced life in our prospering society, we must apply the knowledge we have to the advancement of our society, and at the same time continue to educate ourselves in keeping up with changing times and high-tech societal demands. 

2008: Naushin Thawer