2006 Garfield Weston scholars named
2006 Garfield Weston scholars named
48 OUTSTANDING COLLEGE STUDENTS AWARDED $1.5M IN SCHOLARSHIPS
TORONTO, August 9, 2006 – What do a future fashion designer, pilot, police officer, welder and museum curator have in common? They are all members of the 2006 class of Garfield Weston Merit Scholars. 48 scholars from across Canada will each receive up to $50,000 in scholarship funding which includes a stipend, tuition waiver and up to $3500 in funding to arrange summer experience projects in Canada or abroad. 30 Regional Awards worth $4000 and 30 Provincial Awards worth $2500 have also been handed out.
Established in 1999 with the generous support of The W. Garfield Weston Foundation, these prestigious undergraduate Canadian scholarships are awarded annually to talented students who show promise of leadership, a strong dedication to their field of study and a commitment to their communities. The selection process for these scholarships is the most intensive and personalized in the country. Coming from all over Canada, the applicants are assessed through individual and panel interviews by volunteer leaders from the business and academic community.
The winners come from very diverse backgrounds. They include Jennifer Pilles of Welland, Ontario, who was selected as a Garfield Weston National Merit Scholar for her commitment to volunteering and her outstanding entrepreneurial spirit. Jennifer has founded and self-published her own magazine and produced and directed a documentary about her Rotary exchange to Thailand. She will use her scholarship to study Illustration at Sheridan College in the fall. “I am extremely thankful for this change to dedicate myself to my education as well as to the community,“ says Jen. “I truly believe it will help me achieve my goals.”
After spending 17 years as a fisherman, Michael Townsend decided to return to school to pursue his love of the environment and study land information technology. “Receiving the award has given me a boost in confidence and security” says Michael. “I now feel I can truly make a difference.” He used his carpentry talents to build an ice rink for his community, which was voted by the Nova Scotia legislature as one of the best in the province. The rink was also featured on the CBC’s Hockey Day in Canada. Michael was selected as one of the upper-year award recipients.
The experience of being selected made an impact on the winners as well. “The whole experience was a great opportunity for me to re-evaluate my own set of values and beliefs and to reflect on my projected career path,” said Michael. “I came away from the interviews with a renewed sense of direction, even before learned I had won an award.”
“These college students are demonstrating the qualities our future leaders need to have for our country to thrive”, says Franca Gucciardi, Executive Director of the Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation, which administers the awards on behalf of The W. Garfield Weston Foundation. “I am impressed with the integrity, initiative and commitment to volunteerism demonstrated by this year’s class.”
For more information please contact:
Edlynne Laryea
Marketing Director, Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation
416-646-2120 x 223
edlynne.laryea@cmsf.ca
or visit: www.gwmsc.ca
The list of winners is below. Short Bios and Pictures are available of our National Winners. Regional and Provinical winners are listed in the link at the very bottom of the page.
The 2006 Garfield Weston Merit Scholarship National Entrance Award Winners are:
• Jonathan Baldwin (Wyoming, ON)
• Eve Boucher (Lac-Beauport, QC)
• Avery Brigden (Souris MN)
• Matthew Button (Wareham, NL)
• Madeline Chabot (London, ON)
• Stephanie Chambers (Welland, ON)
• Adora Chen (Ruthven, ON)
• Jessica de Waepenaere (Timmins, ON)
• Kaitlynn Fennell (St. Peter’s, NS)
• Natalie Gaudet (Chelmsford, ON)
• Raelyn Harrison (Regina, SK)
• Jeremy Kelly (Ennismore, ON)
• Travis Leonard (Ogema, SK)
• Micheal MacNab (Mervin, SK)
• Gillian McMillan (Belleisle Creek, NB)
• Ehsan Monfared (Vancouver, BC)
• Danielle O’Dea (Strathroy, ON)
• Sarah Pellerin (Plessisville, QC)
• Jennifer Pilles (Welland, ON)
• Ted Ross (Manotick, ON)
• Benjamin Ruckstahl (Trenton, ON)
• Travis Smith (Port Howe, NS)
• Kristy Waalderbos (Amherst, NS)
• Krista Wallace (Campbellford, ON)
The 2006 Garfield Weston Merit Scholarship National Upper-Year Award Winners are:
• Janet Donaldson (Arva, ON)
• Kevin Dunn ( Strahadam, NB)
• Alla Guelber (Calgary, AB)
• Marianne Harris (Munster, ON)
• A.J. Hrychuk (Calgary, AB)
• Marie-Hélène Jacques (La Pocatière, QC)
• Carmen Jantzen (Abbotsford, BC)
• Emma Kempe (Thunder Bay, ON)
• Maxime Laliberté (Montréal, QC)
• Geneviève Lefebvre (Rivière-du-Loup, QC)
• Stuart Macmillan (Vancouver, BC)
• Pierre Pariseau-Legault (Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC)
• Tyler Prediger (Vemillion, AB)
• Jessica Provonost (La Guadeloupe, QC)
• Mohamad Raad (Montréal, QC)
• Vick Ramroop (Toronto, ON)
• Kathleen Richardson (Kitchener, ON)
• Brenda Schlichting (Hamilton, ON)
• Meghan Summers (Truro, NS)
• Michael Townsend (Middleton, NS)
• Conrad Tulk (St. John’s, NL)
• Terri Wiebe (Steinbach, MB)
• Megan Wolfinger (Edson, AB)
• Christy Woolnough (Stirling, ON)
