Author: Adiki Puplampu
Date: 10 April 2024
For the third year in a row, ELITE Program intern successfully competed to win RBC Future Launch Scholarships for Black Youth. This year, three ELITE Program interns were recipients of the award which provides $10,000 in annual funding to students. Recipients also benefit from opportunities for mentorship, academic enrichment, and networking. Below, this year’s winners share what it means to them to win this major scholarship
Leah Isaac
"Receiving the RBC Future Launch Scholarship significantly broadens both my capacity and desire to contribute to biomedical research. From exploring my fascination with the life sciences, I have found that biological sciences research is one of the few occupations that would allow me to create, rethink, and learn in a unique way each time I would approach it. Overtime, I have solidified my desire to pursue a Masters and PhD in the field of molecular biology and genetics, and to subsequently explore post-doctoral research in academia. Being awarded this scholarship ultimately enables me to fully immerse myself in my educational journey, and strive even further for excellence in this transformative field."
Leah shared more about winning this scholarship in an interview with CBC Radio Active
Gloria Sanouvi-Awoga
"These four years will be the building block for the career I envision for myself. Neuropsychological rehabilitation is a very new field and few people specialize in surgical brain injury rehabilitation so it is still very new and underdeveloped. Through mentors and a network of like-minded individuals, I will receive guidance that will help me to follow the right path. This award will grant my post-secondary studies a focus that will help me to move forward with my career goals during my graduate studies. It will also lessen the stress I feel by removing much of the financial weight from my shoulders, allowing me to concentrate more on my studies."
Hamidat Bello
"Receiving the RBC Future Launch Scholarship is a validation of my commitment to using technology as a force for positive change. It's an affirmation that the path I've chosen—integrating my love for computing science with my drive to create a more inclusive and accessible tech world—is not only viable but valued. It signifies belief in my potential to contribute meaningfully to tech and society, motivating me to push the boundaries of what is possible in creating equitable tech solutions, while inspiring me to continue my journey, knowing that my efforts to bridge gaps and empower underrepresented voices in STEM are recognized and supported."