SURREY – Indo-Canadian student from Surrey is one of two new students who are Simon Fraser University’s recipients of the prestigious Schulich Leader Scholarships, awarded annually to high school graduates enrolling in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) undergraduate program at participating universities in Canada and Israel.
Jasmine Rai and Basil Giannopoulos are this year’s recipients of the $180,000 scholarship.
Rai, a graduate of Princess Margaret Secondary School in Surrey, receives $80,000.
Giannopoulos, a graduate of Gleneagle Secondary School in Coquitlam, is the recipient of the engineering scholarship valued at $100,000.
Both begin their studies at SFU this September. Giannopoulos is pursuing a bachelor of science in engineering physics, while Rai is pursuing a bachelor of science with a joint major in computer science as well as molecular biology and biochemistry. They were selected for their outstanding academic and extra-curricular achievements, which are core requirements for the scholarship.
Giannopoulos says: “I feel incredibly grateful having earned the Schulich Scholarship, which will allow me to focus primarily on my academics. I couldn’t have achieved this without the support of my teachers and family members.”
Rai says: “The Schulich Leader Scholarship will continue to open many doors for me as I can continue to explore my interests and pursue my passion without any worries of financial burden. As a recipient of this prestigious award, I am excited to have this opportunity to be a part of this vast network of young innovators. I hope to channel my passion for STEM to create opportunities for the betterment of society.”
Upon graduating at Gleneagle, Giannopoulos finished with stellar a 4.00 grade point average, out of a possible 4.00, and won several top student awards including the Governor General’s bronze Academic Medal, which is awarded to the high school student with the highest grade-point-average from their respective high school. Outside of the classroom, they volunteered in their community to help young children develop an interest in, and learn about, STEM-related programs.
Upon graduation from Princess Margaret Rai, who also boasts a perfect 4.00 grade point average, has earned multiple academic awards in mathematics, science and language arts. Outside of the classroom, she volunteered countless hours as a peer tutor at her school as well as tutoring young neighbourhood children in STEM-related courses.
