27 Feb 2018 BC Tech Scholarship Supports Future Tech Leaders
On June 22, 2017, the 24th annual Technology Impact Awards (TIAs) took place at the Vancouver Convention Centre where we celebrated outstanding companies and individuals who made a significant impact on the BC Tech industry. A part of the evening was dedicated to recognizing the winners of the BC Tech Scholarships.
It’s been almost a year since we met and hosted these students at the TIAs. We wanted to check in and see how they utilized the grant and the impact it had on their academic careers. Here are updates from a few of our past winners:
Hannah Charnock
Recipient of both the BC Tech Scholarship and Equality Scholarship (sponsored by Discovery Foundation), both of these grants supported Hannah’s tuition and living expenses which allowed her to focus on coursework and projects rather than having to work part-time. This enabled engagement in a research group and a Directed Studies course in Chemistry at the University of Victoria, aimed at developing novel MRI contrast agents while incorporating biotechnology for better imaging and reduced toxicity. She was also able to dedicate more time to the UVic Women in Science (WIS) organization, and helped execute the inaugural UVic WIS STEM Research Symposium which was held in November 2017.
“I feel honoured to have been selected for this BC Tech award. I am currently finishing up the last year of my Chemistry degree and am graduating in 2019. I feel that this scholarship has given me a tangible foothold in my upcoming applications to graduate programs.“
Stanford Lin
Stanford was a recipient of a grant for grade 12 graduates, and mentioned in his personal essay that one of his goals was to purchase a new laptop for university. The BC Tech Scholarships enabled him to achieve this goal. Over the past year, he has used his laptop to improve his workflow and programming skills. Earlier this year, he attended a national programming competition at Stanford University and built an app that automates medical billing.
Kevin Zhang
Kevin did not join us at the TIAs last year, as he was in Japan completing further research in technology. He plans to use the grant towards tuition and to help with living expenses as he works on a major startup project this summer. He has recently submitted an abstract to a conference in Japan and is working towards submitting a paper to an international journal in the near future.
Hamza Kamal
Hamza began studies at Simon Fraser University in Engineering Science, and has been making meaningful connections with inspiring professors and others who share his passion for tech. He is an active contributor in a school club called RoboSoccer, attended his first hackathon, and is currently working on building an Android app.
“Since the TIAs my life has changed quite a bit. University doesn’t offer the same level of stability as high school, but that’s what makes it so enjoyable. I look forward to making even more friends, having more experiences, being a co-op, and eventually working in an exciting industry thanks to the work done by organizations like the BC Tech Association.”
We are so thrilled to receive these updates and to know that BC Tech had a positive impact on their lives this past year.
Are you a student who is passionate about tech and wants to pursue a career in the field? Do you know someone who is in a minimum two-year technical program and would be a great candidate for this grant?