{"id":89593,"date":"2023-11-30T15:37:49","date_gmt":"2023-11-30T20:37:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/?p=89593"},"modified":"2023-11-30T16:14:32","modified_gmt":"2023-11-30T21:14:32","slug":"dynamic-research-on-the-horizon-from-brock-scholarship-recipients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/2023\/11\/dynamic-research-on-the-horizon-from-brock-scholarship-recipients\/","title":{"rendered":"Dynamic research on the horizon from Brock scholarship recipients"},"content":{"rendered":"

Growing up, Adwoa Yeboah Owusu believed her path to success relied heavily on a single factor: education.<\/p>\n

That sentiment still rings true for the Brock Geography master\u2019s student, whose hard work has brought her to Canada from her native Ghana in pursuit of her graduate degree.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw education as means out of poverty and an opportunity to make the world a better place,\u201d Owusu says, reflecting on the emphasis her family placed on higher learning throughout her childhood. \u201cEven though I’m not from a rich background, my father was always keen on education because he believed that it would get his kids to that next level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her hard work and dedication to learning recently saw Owusu selected as one of this year\u2019s 20 Horizon Graduate Student Scholarship recipients.<\/p>\n

Launched in the 2020-21 academic year, the annual Brock award supports high-achieving graduate students from research-based programs who identify as Black, Indigenous or People of Colour or from other under-represented groups. Recipients receive a one-time award of $5,000.<\/p>\n

The Horizon Scholarship fund, which is set to provide $1 million to incoming students over 10 years, is intended to help Brock attract top researchers and students from various fields while building a diverse and inclusive university community.<\/p>\n

Owusu\u2019s passion, discovered while completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Ghana, lies in human geography, particularly the inequalities that exist between nations.<\/p>\n

Through her research at Brock, she plans to examine infant mortality rates in Ghana in hopes of providing effective solutions to help address the issue by informing policy and programs in the African nation.<\/p>\n

\u201cInfant mortality rates are important to the development of every country and are also a link to the general health and well-being of people,\u201d she says. \u201cWe want to decolonize contributing factors so we can understand those rates and the causes of infant mortality in the Ghanaian context, leading to better solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beyond her Brock studies, Owusu hopes to one day become a professor, inspiring Ghanaian youth to dream big and set goals education can help them to achieve.<\/p>\n

Though August marked Owusu\u2019s first time in Canada, she has found comfort far from home.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s connected with fellow Ghanaian students among other peers on campus and felt the support of the Department of Geography and Tourism Studies.<\/p>\n

But what has perhaps brought her the most strength was taking this journey with her eldest sister \u2014 a Critical Sociology master\u2019s student with the same first and last name who is also among this year\u2019s Horizon recipients \u2014 by her side.<\/p>\n

Owusu expressed gratitude for the Horizon Scholarship, which played a significant role in ensuring both she and her sister could pursue their graduate studies in Canada.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know there are many people who applied that are equally deserving, so we\u2019re very grateful,\u201d she says of the Horizon scholarship. \u201cIt goes a long way in helping people, some who are less fortunate, to secure higher education. We thank Brock for contributing to our success story.\u201d<\/p>\n

The graduate student researchers selected for the 2023-24 award come from a variety of backgrounds, but all share a similar passion for their respective areas of work.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith all they have accomplished and all they aspire to achieve, this year\u2019s Horizon Scholarship recipients are a true inspiration to the entire Brock community,\u201d says Suzanne Curtin, Vice-Provost and Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs. \u201cBringing fresh perspectives and unique life experiences to the table, they\u2019re working towards dynamic and thought-provoking research that has the potential to change the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among this year\u2019s Horizon Scholarship recipients are:<\/p>\n