The Art of Winning Canadian Scholarships
Andrea George
Chemical Engineering Graduate
University of Toronto
June 2004 - My name is Andrea George and I am a Chemical Engineering Graduate from the University of Toronto.
Before I began my first year of university, I was very concerned about the costs that would be associated with my education. I realized that scholarships would be one way of lowering these fees. I was very excited when I learned that there was a Scholarship Workshop. I believed that attending this workshop would be crucial to my development.
When I arrived at the workshop, I was greeted warmly and it was very evident that the workers cared as much about my future and education as I did.
The presentations were very useful, and they all had a practical significance. I learned how to write scholarship essays, resumes and cover letters, and how to represent myself at a scholarship interview.
We were provided with insider tips, and 'extras' that would make our scholarship application stand out. There was also group work so we could participate in mock interviews. I found these to be especially beneficial. We each took a turn being interviewed, and the other students critiqued your performance. During this exercise, I was exposed to many of the questions that interviewers typically ask. I was able to practice my responses without the pressure of being in a real interview situation. This also encouraged me to continue practicing with my family members by having them ask me interview questions.
I truly believe that attending the Scholarship Workshop is what enabled me to win the United Achievers' Scholarship and the Deeper Life Christian Ministries Scholarship.
I was able to find out about both scholarships by attending the workshop. Mrs. Chacha and the Scholarship Committee members provided us with scholarship resource books, scholarship leaflets, and a list of websites at which we could search for scholarships. Mrs. Chacha assisted me personally with my scholarship essay by proofreading it and making suggestions. It was this essay that helped me to get the interviews. At each interview, I was asked many of the questions that I had practiced previously during the mock interview.
I am very grateful to Mrs. Chacha and the Scholarship Committee for providing me with the information and practice I needed to win my scholarships. This is an event that I would strongly encourage as many young people as possible to attend. The committee members clearly have our best interests in mind.
Andrea George
Farhan Moosa
Queens University (1st year)
2003 Millenium Provincial Excellence Scholarship Recipient
Pat Chacha has the ability to play an integral role in one's scholarship search. She has a solid understanding of the scholarship process, and has the ability to motivate and lead any applicant to success. Her untiring efforts and knowledge surpass those of many. Pat can be thought of as an inspiration to any applicant, and truly has the ability to fortify one's strengths in a motivational manner. Any scholarship process is incomplete without the aid of Pat Chacha.
Dana Alexander
Computer Science Program (3rd year)
University of Toronto
January 2003 - My name is Dana Alexander and I am currently Computer Science student at the University of Toronto.
I won two scholarships: the INROADS internship and the Dwight Brown Achievement Award.
An interview was mandatory for each scholarship, which is where the Scholarship Workshop came in. The only interview experience I had before I received the scholarships was for a job at a fast food restaurant.
I knew an interview for a scholarship would be very different, so I attended the workshop and learned many valuable tips.
The workshop taught me the importance of being well-dressed for an interview, how to maintain eye contact with the interviewer, the importance of being on time for the interview and several other important facts. Workshop attendees were taught through well organized presentations and interview simulations. The simulations enabled me to overcome my shyness and nervousness. After my scholarship interviews, I was complimented on my eye contact, my confidence and the way I handled the interviewer's questions.
In addition to an interview for the INROADS internship I also had to submit my resume. I had no real experience with resumes, so Mrs. Chacha took the time to help me make a resume that best displayed my skills, work experience and extracurricular activities.
Thanks to Mrs. Chacha's guidance, I got the INROADS internship and worked at IBM for two summers. She has continued to encourage me as I go through the university experience.
I am very grateful to Mrs. Chacha for her help and for teaching the Scholarship Workshop.
Dana Alexander
James Khan (1st year)
McMaster University, Sciences
Winner of "The United Achievers Scholarship" in 2004
James Khan has won in excess of $12, 600 in scholarships
United Achievers Scholarship: $1600
Pat Francis Scholarship: $1000
The Bay Scholarship: $2500
McMaster University Entrance Scholarship: $4000
Queen Elizabeth Scholarship: $3500
Pat Chacha has been greatly beneficial in helping me plan my future and reach my potential.
Up until Grade 12, I was just a student who excelled academically but was not much involved with activities outside the classroom. I was a member of a few clubs and committees but I didn't have the confidence to take leadership in any of these organizations. I would always be passive and let someone else take the next leadership position or let someone else organize the next school event. I never thought of myself as the person organizing events within the school or reaching out into the student body.
However, as soon as I connected with Pat Chacha, she started to guide me and motivate me to become the next leader in my school. Within two months of guidance from Ms. Chacha, I gained enough confidence to start my own fundraising club at my high school, called "Don't Just Sit There". I was the only person in the school's history who founded and was President of their own club. Within this club I organized meetings, developed relationships with various charities, and organized school wide events such as Bake Sales, Pizza Raffles, and an Annual Walk-a-Thon. I had also gained enough motivation from Pat to start my own charity campaign within the community. I started my own Christmas Toy Drive for the children of Regent Park during Christmas 2003. With all the charity events I organized, I helped to raise over $6000 for various charities, including my own.
Pat Chacha also guided me in applying for scholarships and apprenticeship programs. Pat helped me to fill out scholarship applications and scholarship essays by guiding me on what things I should and should not include, helping me build appealing and clear-cut essays, and making sure all my involvement in my community and school appears on the application. With her help on filling out an application and essay, I was selected as 1 of 31 students across Canada to receive an apprentice ship with the Canadian Genetics Disease Network. Through this program, I was able to work in one of Canada's top labs trying to find the gene that causes Breast Cancer.
Ms. Chacha greatly helped me build self-confidence, motivation and leadership skills. Because of their guidance I was able to become a pre-dominate voice among the students and administration. Pat Chacha transforms the students of today, into the leaders of tomorrow.