Two UWinnipeg students dine at Rideau Hall
Governor General of Canada David Johnston + former Prime Minister the Right Honourable Jean + QEScholar, photo credit MCpl Vincent Carbonneau, Rideau Hall ©OSGG, 2016.
Two UWinnipeg Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholars (QEScholars) had the opportunity to academically hob-knob with His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston and former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien at a dinner held at Rideau Hall earlier this month in Ottawa. Jazmin Alfaro, from the MA in Indigenous Governance program and Oluwayemisi Olugboji, from the MSc in Applied Computer Science & Society attended the prestigious dinner.
Many QE Scholars from across the country were nominated but only 11 students received an invitation. UWinnipeg is proud to have had two students chosen from a very competitive list of scholars.
“Meeting the people foundational to this award was an amazing experience,” shares Alfaro. “They are people who are passionate about contributing to the world around them and they helped inspire a new level of attention and dedication to my work.”
Alfaro is travelling on a QEScholarship to Dominica this summer to study Carib Territory food sovereignty and food security. Her project looks at exploring community resilience through oral history via semi-structured interviews with Elders and knowledge keepers. She intends to study Indigenous food systems and their role in community resilience, with the goal of reducing food insecurity.
She is currently engaged in a summer internship with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) in Ottawa, and plans to return to Dominica in the Fall to complete her research project.
“My experience as a QE scholar has been utterly transformative,” observes Olugboji. “The program serves as an incentive for me to maintain high personal standards for my academic success, and for engaging with peers and the community in a service and leadership capacity.”
Originally from Nigeria, Olugboji is taking the Master in Applied Computer Science Program at the University of Winnipeg. In addition to being a QE scholar he is a member of the National Volunteer Association. Olugboji has completed his coursework and is currently working on his research at Seven Oaks General Hospital, analyzing big data to simplify its emergency department processes. He is an actively involved volunteer at the UWSA food bank and the Stony Mountain correctional institution.
“My experience at the University of Winnipeg has been awesome,” says Olugboji. “The Department of Applied Computer Science offers nothing short of a pragmatic and applied curriculum. The professors go above and beyond to make sure their students have a full university experience. I am glad to be part of a campus that celebrates diversity.”
The Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships program aims to activate a dynamic community of young global leaders across the Commonwealth to create lasting impacts both at home and abroad through inter-cultural exchanges encompassing international education, discovery and inquiry, and professional experiences. They join a global community of Scholars to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and collaborate on meaningful initiatives.
Meet other UWinnipeg QEScholars at .
Photos above: QEScholars Jazmin Alfaro and Olu Olugboji. photo supplied
MEDIA CONTACT
Naniece Ibrahim, Communications Officer, 海角社区
P: 204.988.7130, E: n.ibrahim@uwinnipeg.ca