Pearson scholars

“An unsurpassable opportunity to study at one of the world's leading institutions, on a full ride, while joining a cohort of bright, passionate and driven changemakers”

An aspiring clinician-scientist who is reducing food waste across Toronto. A global health student who launched an NGO that connects students with seniors through art. And an international relations specialist who worked on an array of human rights projects.

Ana Laura Noda González, Niha Burugapalli and Daniel Corredor Llorente came to the University of Toronto from different regions of the world, with unique career aspirations and a wide assortment of volunteering causes.

But the three Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship recipients all share one trait: a commitment to making a difference. And all three are graduating from their respective programs this June.

Here's how they plan to use their U of T educations to help make the world a better place:

Ana Laura Noda González

(photo supplied)

González, who is graduating with an honours bachelor of science in psychology with minors in immunology and Buddhist psychology and mental health in the Faculty of Arts & Science, says Canada wasn’t on her list of destinations for post-secondary studies – until she heard about the Pearson Scholarship.

“I ran into my school principal’s office and told her that she had to nominate me,” says González, who was born in Cuba and grew up in Mexico.

Upon arriving in Toronto, González says she was taken aback by rampant food waste – particularly given her family’s origins in Cuba, a country with widespread food insecurity. So she co-founded MealCare Toronto, a student-run non-profit that diverts surplus food from cafeterias and restaurants to shelters and food banks.

The Woodsworth College student says her academic interests evolved considerably while at U of T, and that she now plans to pursue graduate and doctoral research in psychiatry and mental health. “Psychiatry is a relatively new field of medicine – there are a lot of unknowns so I’d like to do something in that,” says González, who is currently working as a research assistant at SickKids Hospital.

Looking back on her time at U of T, González says she was pleasantly surprised by the ease at which she was able to forge connections.

“Even during the COVID times, I was able to find a community online … and I still have some of my best friends now from that time,” she says. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have done my undergrad here.”

Niha Burugapalli

(photo supplied)

Burugapalli, who was born in India and raised in Connecticut, is graduating with a bachelor of science in global health and peace, conflict and justice studies.

While at U of T, the Victoria College student engaged in diverse experiential learning opportunities that ranged from working on the UN Sustainable Development Goals with the Reach Alliance to conducting neuroscience research in Sweden as part of a summer exchange program and spending a semester abroad in Granada, Spain.

Burugapalli is a co-founder of the EmpowART Foundation, an NGO that gives undergraduate students the opportunity to lead art workshops in nursing homes and hospitals – promoting healing through art while encouraging intergenerational connections.

“The goal was to empower the seniors as they engage in a new skill … while bridging the gap between students searching for opportunities to make an impact and the isolation experienced by many seniors,” she says.

Burugapalli says she’s grateful for the sense of community that U of T had to offer. “The college system and being part of Vic was really nice to be able to make great friends easily and find a community and support in such a large student body,” she says.

“Overall, I have really enjoyed my time at U of T and have been enriched by all the amazing opportunities like research and studying abroad and all the inspiring people I have had the privilege of meeting along the way.”

Daniel Corredor Llorente

(photo supplied)

Corredor Llorente, who is originally from Colombia, says he didn’t think twice about accepting U of T’s offer.

“No other university I applied to offered anything as promising – much less so in a country as welcoming as Canada and a cosmopolitan city like Toronto,” says Corredor Llorente, who is both a Pearson Scholar and Laidlaw Scholar at Trinity College, and is graduating with an international relations specialist with minors in economics and political science.

“My academic experience at U of T was timely and top-tier, though not without its challenges considering the extremely complex – and often painful – issues of the day,” Corredor says, noting his undergraduate years coincided with global challenges from the pandemic to armed conflict and growing human rights concerns around the world.

Corredor Llorente credits his U of T professors, coursework and research opportunities with helping him access hands-on experience in the field – including internships with the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights for internally displaced persons, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Compaz Foundation, an NGO founded by former Colombian president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Juan Manuel Santos.

Corredor Llorente, who is currently working to advance human rights in the Americas via an Orlando Sierra Fellowship in Washington, D.C., says he’s grateful to the Pearson Scholars program for providing “an unsurpassable opportunity to study at one of the world's leading institutions, on a full ride, while joining a cohort of bright, passionate and driven changemakers committed to tackling society's polycrisis.”

From 24 countries to U of T: New Pearson Scholars bring global perspectives

geoff.vendeville — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 20:35:01 +0000

From 24 countries to U of T: New Pearson Scholars bring global perspectives

geoff.vendeville Tue, 09/18/2018 - 16:35

Cutline

Emily Wen, a Rotman commerce student and Pearson Scholar from Massachusetts, speaks with U of T President Meric Gertler at a reception for the scholarship recipients (all photos by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

City & Culture

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Music

Global

International Students

Hola. Merhaba. Kamusta.

There are many different ways to greet this year's Pearson Scholars, who come to the University of Toronto from 24 different countries. They are – in U of T President Meric Gertler’s words – a welcome addition to “U of T's unique culture of double-diversity.”

International students make up more than one-in-five U of T students, he pointed out at a welcome reception at Hart House Monday evening – in a city where half the population was born outside of Canada. “The University of Toronto, and the city-region around our campuses, is an ideal place for brilliant students to develop as globally minded leaders in every field of endeavour,” he said.

“So, over the next four years, make the most of the countless learning opportunities we offer, both inside and outside the classroom. Finally, please remember that we are here to support you.”

The 2018 class of Lester B. Pearson scholars. Sitting in the front row are, from left: Sandy Welsh, vice-provost, students; Cheryl Regehr, vice-president and provost; U of T President Meric Gertler; and Joseph Wong, associate vice-president and vice-provost, international student experience (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

The current cohort of scholars were joined by last year's class, the first group of top students from around the globe who came to U of T on a scholarship named after alumnus, former prime minister and Nobel laureate Lester B. Pearson. The scholarship covers four years of study at U of T, including tuition, books, incidental fees and residence support.

The award recognizes students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement, creativity and leadership, as well as a commitment to making an impact in their community. The scholarship is highly competitive since only one student can be nominated by a high school.

The 40 new scholars come with lofty aspirations, from discovering new treatments for Parkinson's to using actuarial science to help the poor in rural Kenya and advancing sustainable development.

U of T News spoke to four scholars about their first impression of Toronto and their goals.

Adriana DÍaz Lozano Patiño

From Mexico

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, engineering science

Patiño was a precocious kid. As early as age 12, she knew she wanted to be an engineer. “I wanted to learn how to tackle problems in an analytical way, something to allow me to create efficient solutions for the world,” she says.

The student from Mexico City chose U of T for its engineering science program, which she describes as a perfect mix of theoretical and practical courses that will prepare her for graduate school.

One of the most striking things about her first days on campus has been the diversity of the student body. “You get people from Asia, Africa, Europe and the U.S. They bring all these perspectives into your life that you didn't have before,” she observes.

Patiño doesn't want to limit her U of T experience to the classroom. Far from it. After dabbling in theatre back home – having played Timon in The Lion King and Belle in Beauty and the Beast – she wants to continue acting while also exploring engineering clubs and practising debating.

Hannah Godrey-Clarke

From the United Kingdom

In the Faculty of Music, music performance

Godfrey-Clarke comes to U of T from Halifax, north of Manchester, England, where she was the first female principal bassist in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. “There shouldn't be ‘first female’ anythings in 2018, but I was very lucky to get that,” she says.

Her first instrument was the cello, but she picked up the double bass at 11 years old through a local music service and she never looked back.

If you wonder about the mini harmonica she wears around her neck, it's a nod to an inside joke with her family, who kid that she should play the harmonica so she doesn't have to lug around an instrument that can weigh over 50 pounds in its case.

She practises four or five hours a day, and hopes to join as many U of T ensembles as possible. At the same time, she wants to become involved with music outreach since the music program that inspired her was later cut through lack of funding. “Music has opened so many doors to me. I wouldn't be here without the opportunities that I've had,” she says.

Devansh Khare

From India

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, mechanical engineering

In his first month in Toronto after arriving from Mumbai, Khare was confronted with a problem.

He took part in the engineering student tradition of painting himself completely purple during orientation, only to remember he had a photoshoot with his fellow Pearson Scholars the next day.

“I completely forgot and had to spend two hours scrubbing my face,” he recalls with a smile.

Having represented India at international environmental events, such as the Sunburst Environment Program in Singapore, he's looking forward to a career in the clean energy sector. U of T – with its strong engineering program and diverse student population – is the ideal launching pad, he says.

“I've realized the importance of understanding different cultures to tackle the various issues faced by our society today,” he writes in his scholarship bio, “and with the Lester B. Pearson Scholarship, I hope to gain a broader perspective for improving education, environment and lifestyle in the future.”

Ami Alexis

From Trinidad and Tobago

U of T Scarborough, co-op management

Alexis's first weeks on campus have been a bit of a cultural shock particularly when it comes to cuisine.

“The food is different because at home we use a lot of seasoning,” she says, adding she may bring some back after visiting home at Christmas.

The 18-year-old from the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has a passion for water sports, especially swimming and water polo. She chose to study business at U of T Scarborough to keep her options open after graduation.

“I'm excited for what's ahead,” she says – though maybe not for her first Canadian winter.

“Monday was really cold. It was 14 degrees. I thought it was freezing. Imagine minus 40.”

U of T students who crushed it in 2017

geoff.vendeville — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 05:00:00 +0000

U of T students who crushed it in 2017

geoff.vendeville Tue, 12/19/2017 - 00:00

Cutline

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

City & Culture

Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Undergraduate Students

Subheadline

Whether in an Olympic-sized pool, astronomy lab or paleontological dig, University of Toronto students made their mark

Where to begin listing the accomplishments of the University of Toronto’s 88,000 students this year?

There was the undergraduate who solved a mystery by locating an ancient species on the tree of life. The swimmer who set a world record time – in between studying for exams and completing assignments. And the astronomy students who instilled their passion for space in young stargazers in West Africa.

Some students who didn't get their names into the record books were inspiring nevertheless. They bolstered the sense of community on campus by hosting the first powwow at U of T in decades and the first-ever special graduation ceremony for Black students from all three campuses.

As we ring in the new year, U of T News looked back on some of these stories.

The youngest student in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering's history

At age two, Xiaoxiao (Maddy) Zhang could read. By first grade, she could recite her multiplication tables. Her precociousness didn't end there.

At 14 years old, the student from Beijing started studying engineering science at U of T. She is believed to be the youngest student in the faculty's history. Although the program is highly demanding, she doesn't appear fazed by the challenge. “I'm so happy to have found the place I belong,” she said.

The organizers of U of T’s first Black graduation

Modelled after similar events in the U.S., U of T's first-ever, student-led Black graduation in June celebrated the achievements of the university's Black community.

“To see our Black grads celebrated, with their family, friends and faculty to support them, was really beautiful,” said Nasma Ahmed, who organized the event with psychology graduate Jessica Kirk.

Students from U of T Mississauga, U of T Scarborough and the downtown Toronto campus received awards for outstanding achievement in athletics, leadership, research and other areas. The organizers said they hope to put on another Black graduation in 2018.

The undergrad whose work changes the textbooks

For more than a century, scientists wondered where to place the hyolith on the tree of life. The marine creature, which lived more than 530 million years ago, was long thought to be part of the same family as molluscs.

That is until Joseph Moysiuk came along. The 20-year-old undergraduate led a team of paleontologists on an expedition in the Burgess Shale, in B.C. They analyzed over 1,500 fossils and concluded that the cone-shaped hyolith is, in fact, more closely related to brachiopods.

Mark Sutton, a paleontologist at Imperial College London who wasn't involved in the work but reviewed Moysiuk’s research, told The New York Times: “This is the sort of thing that will rewrite textbooks – at least the ones that talk about hyoliths.”

The astronomers who spread the love for astronomy in west Africa

As a girl, Margaret Ikape used to stare up at the night sky and wonder about the properties of shooting stars.

That childhood fascination blossomed into an academic career. She studied at the West African International Summer School for Young Astronomers in Accra, Ghana, which was founded with the help of U of T’s Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics. Now a master’s student at U of T, she returned to the summer school with her classmate, Jielai Zhang, last summer to share their love for space and stars.

“I understood their questions because they were questions I also had as a student, and I did my best to address them,” Ikape said.

The students behind U of T's first powwow in 20 years

Hundreds of people filled an Athletic Centre gymnasium to capacity for the university's first powwow in decades, organized by the Indigenous Studies Students' Union. The event featured hoop and jingle dancers, and drew the then federal Indigenous Affairs Minister and U of T alumna Carolyn Bennett.

“It was just so emotionally moving,” said Trina Moyan, one of the student organizers. “My husband, our son and I broke down crying as we saw those staffs lead our beautiful Indigenous people out onto the floor, to be respectfully recognized as the original peoples of the land on which U of T operates.”

The student with a perfect GPA

Sandro Young didn’t just have good grades – he had the best GPA of any student at the university across all three campuses – a flawless 4.0.

“I’m really interested in all of the material that I’m learning about, so it was never too much of a chore to be studying,” the computer engineering student told CBC’s Metro Morning.

It would be a mistake to think he spent every waking hour in the library. He was co-president of the Spark Design Club, which builds interactive displays like “a giant Connect Four” board on campus.

After graduation he joined Google at its home base in Mountain View, Calif.

The Olympian who made an even bigger splash

Kylie Masse seized the headlines and a bronze medal in the 100-metre backstroke at the Rio Games in 2016.

Last summer, she snapped the world record in the same category at the World Aquatic Championships in Budapest with a time of 58.10 seconds.

If that wasn’t enough, she kept up with her studies in kinesiology at the same time. What's more nerve-wracking, you may wonder: competing in the world swimming championships or writing exams?

“It depends on the class,” she told Maclean’s.

International scholars who came to U of T hoping to make a difference

Former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, one of the leading diplomats of his era and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is among U of T's most famous graduates.

This year, a group of brilliant young international students came to U of T on a scholarship named after Pearson. Deborah Emilia Solomon, a native of India, was among them.

She hopes her university studies will help her achieve her dream of working on a hospital ship that treats some of the poorest people in Africa. For motivation with her studies, she keeps a quotation in her journal: “The only failures are those who fail to try.”

The author of those words? Lester B. Pearson.

A YouTube star who is building community online

“Nerdy” and “quirky” were words Sabrina Cruz identified with as early as high school. She embraced those adjectives as the name of her YouTube channel, through which she offers her 170,000 subscribers casual lessons on everything from Edgar Allan Poe to Julius Caesar – including clips from shows like Rick and Morty.

Her goal is to help nerds like herself “feel a little less alone,” she says.

A mom who earned her PhD despite being diagnosed with cancer

Precilla Veigas came to Canada from India hoping to fulfill her dream of earning a PhD. She was halfway through her doctorate in medical science at U of T when she got dire news: She was diagnosed with a rare and terminal form of abdominal cancer.

Although doctors gave her months to live, she continued her studies.

“I refused to let life’s traumas throw me off course,” she said.

She successfully defended her dissertation and received her PhD weeks later in a special ceremony ahead of June convocation.

She died on Oct. 23, leaving behind research that has already made a difference. Her work, on a type of blood test that assesses bleeding and clotting disorders, has shaped guidelines for trauma physicians at St. Michael’s Hospital to treat patients who are hemorrhaging, according to The Toronto Star.

See the list of students who crushed it last year

Inaugural Pearson Scholars receive warm welcome on campus

geoff.vendeville — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 13:03:57 +0000

Inaugural Pearson Scholars receive warm welcome on campus

geoff.vendeville Fri, 09/15/2017 - 09:03

Cutline

Pearson Scholars receive a warm welcome, advice and encouragement at a reception at Hart House on Wednesday (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

Geoffrey Vendeville

Author legacy

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

Global Lens

Pearson scholars

#UofTBacktoSchool

University of Toronto Scarborough

University of Toronto Mississauga

Faculty of Arts & Science

Subheadline

First group of international students who won prestigious scholarship mark beginning of semester

Top students from around the globe who came to the University of Toronto on a scholarship named after former prime minister and U of T graduate Lester B. Pearson celebrated the start of the school year at a reception Wednesday.

The 35 Pearson Scholars come from all over the map – Brazil, India and Singapore, to name a few places – with a wealth of ambitions. Some aspire to be computer scientists; others, doctors, forensic pathologists and economists.

U of T President Meric Gertler, Vice-Provost, Students Sandy Welsh and Vice-Provost, International Student Experience Joseph Wong welcomed the students at Hart House, providing advice and encouragement for the road ahead.

President Gertler told the students they should expect to feel right at home at U of T, where “more than 20 per cent” of undergraduates are international students, coming from 168 different countries. “Diversity of experiences and perspectives is a huge asset in helping our scholars find answers to the great, global questions of our time,” he said.

"U of T's internationalism is not an accident of our excellence; it is absolutely fundamental to it," U of T President Meric Gertler told the winners of Pearson Scholarships for outstanding international students (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

Welsh told the scholarship winners that while they navigate the transtion to university life in a new city, they can always count on the university’s support. “As you get settled into your new normal and start to become familiar with new routines and places,” she said, “we want to assure you that there are many people and resources [at the university] to help make sure that you have a fulfilling undergraduate experience with us.”

Wong told the scholars that the university's goal isn't just to prepare its students for life after U of T, “but for the world after U of T.” A U of T education is meant to help students develop global fluencies that will help them thrive and contribute to their communities, he said. The scholars seem to be off to a flying start: There are four in Wong's first-year seminar, and one has emailed him saying she is experiencing an “existential crisis” after already completing all the required readings.

Later in the evening, one scholarship winner offered the others some advice. Mubarak Abdela, an electrical engineering student, came to the university from Ethiopia in 2013 as one of the first MasterCard Foundation Scholars from Sub-Saharan Africa. At first he struggled to learn English and adapt to Canadian culture, but with the support of his peers and the university, he earned his degree and is now working toward a master’s at U of T.

Pearson scholars

Building a better world: Three Pearson Scholars – and soon-to-be grads – reflect on their U of T experience

Ana Laura Noda González

Niha Burugapalli

Daniel Corredor Llorente

From 24 countries to U of T: New Pearson Scholars bring global perspectives

Adriana DÍaz Lozano Patiño

Hannah Godrey-Clarke

Devansh Khare

Ami Alexis

Read more about this year's Pearson Scholars

U of T students who crushed it in 2017

The youngest student in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering's history

The organizers of U of T’s first Black graduation

The undergrad whose work changes the textbooks

The astronomers who spread the love for astronomy in west Africa

Read more in Metro News Toronto

The students behind U of T's first powwow in 20 years

The student with a perfect GPA

The Olympian who made an even bigger splash

International scholars who came to U of T hoping to make a difference

A YouTube star who is building community online

A mom who earned her PhD despite being diagnosed with cancer

See the list of students who crushed it last year

Inaugural Pearson Scholars receive warm welcome on campus

Read more about Abdela and the first graduates of the MasterCard Foundation Scholars program