When Nima Abadinezhad\u2019s family immigrated to Canada from Iran two years ago, they did so with his education in mind.<\/p>\n
The Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School student has since worked hard to achieve his goal of attending university, which will become a reality in September when he begins in Brock\u2019s Computer Science program.<\/p>\n
Abadinezhad\u2019s efforts saw him recognized as one of 66 recipients of Brock\u2019s Niagara Principal\u2019s Scholarships, which were presented during a reception hosted by the University on Wednesday, May 17.<\/p>\n
For the eighth consecutive year, the University has presented the $2,500 entrance scholarships to two graduating students from nearly every public, Catholic and private secondary school in the Niagara region.\u00a0This year\u2019s awards total $165,000.<\/p>\n
Recipients are selected by principals from each high school based on a combination of academic achievements, school and community involvement, and financial need.<\/p>\n
For Abadinezhad, whose family faced hardships when they immigrated to Canada, the scholarship will have a significant impact.<\/p>\n
He says his parents had to made big sacrifices, essentially starting from scratch, to begin a new life in a new country.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis scholarship is going to help me a lot in terms of my future plans,\u201d Abadinezhad says, adding the award has affirmed for his parents that the move has opened the door to new opportunities. \u201cThey can see that I\u2019m growing here, that I\u2019m happy, have a future, and that I\u2019m also going to a good university.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Principal\u2019s Scholarship program, which has offered more than $1.3 million in funding to local high school graduates since its inception in 2015, is just one of the many ways in which Brock invests in the future of Niagara, says President and Vice-Chancellor Lesley Rigg.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrock has proudly served as Niagara\u2019s university for nearly 60 years and is committed to giving back to the region and its bright young minds,\u201d Rigg says. \u201cThe Principal’s Scholarship recipients have already shined academically and through their community involvement, and we look forward to all that they will accomplish during their time at Brock and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n
The reception held to honour the recipients welcomed the students alongside their families, principals, teachers and guidance counsellors, who came together with Brock representatives to celebrate their accomplishments.<\/p>\n
In addition to being individually recognized at the ceremony, scholarship recipients were gifted an awards box filled with Brock University gear and items to get their post-secondary experience off on the right foot.<\/p>\n
\u201cEach year, we look forward to honouring the outstanding students chosen to receive the Niagara Principal\u2019s Scholarships,\u201d says Matt Melnyk, Director, Student Recruitment. \u201cThe reception is an opportunity for us to not only celebrate their achievements in the local community and in their respective schools, but also to set the stage for their future success at Brock, where we\u2019re confident they will continue to excel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Recipients of the 2023 Niagara Principal\u2019s Scholarships:<\/p>\n