Several Surrey students have been named recipients of the Cmolik Foundation's scholarship bursaries, valued at $45,000 each.
The Cmolik Foundation financially supports youth going into post-secondary who have faced adversity in their young lives. Recipients of the $45,000 award also gain access to mentors, field trips and summer camps.
Giya Gill, Ameek Khosa, Elyse Kargl, Tamanna Gill, Gaveen Rai, Jennifer McLaren and Ishaq Ahmed, all from Surrey, are among 20 total scholarship winners.
Ahmed, from L.A. Matheson Secondary, will be using the fund to go towards his bachelor of business administration degree at Simon Fraser University. This will help the student achieve his goal of becoming a financial manager of an "ethically and morally responsible business," reads a news release.
Queen Elizabeth Secondary's McLaren will be using her scholarship at SFU as well, where she hopes to obtain a degree in history.
"I chose history because you must look to the past to change the future. As for teaching, I want to help make school an enjoyable, safe space for students,” McLaren said.
The "bright and engaging" Giya Gill from Tamanawis Secondary will also be attending SFU in September to pursue a bachelor of science degree to bring her one step closer of actualizing her goal of becoming a doctor in the future.
Hoping to obtain a bachelor of business administration in marketing and management at Douglas College, Rai from Guildford Park Secondary wants to work as a creative director in either sports or fashion.
"I chose this area of focus because of the creativity, challenge and leadership it involves," Rai said.
Khalsa Secondary's Tamanna Gill will be using her scholarship to pursue a bachelor of science degree in nursing.
“I cannot stress enough to you how highly I think of this young woman. She is a powerhouse and is going to do amazing things,” her teacher Daniel MacDonald said about Gill.
Looking to study dentistry, Khosa from Lord Tweedsmuir is described as "ambitious" with "strong work ethics." Upon completion of her work, Khosa would like to open her own practice, which the scholarship money will help go towards.
And finally, Kargl from St. John Paul II Secondary is also going to post-secondary with the $45,000 scholarship to pursue a bachelor of science in nursing.
“Since I was eleven years old, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in nursing to help others," she added.