First-year computer science student, Azra Jessa feels that receiving the President’s National Entrance Scholarship has been one of her greatest life achievements.
Jessa is one of the six recipients of this award along with Alessandro Profenna, Bailey Bradshaw, Gelila Ephrem, Michaela St. Pierre and Reva Arieli.
Every year Ryerson awards the President’s National Entrance Scholarship to secondary school graduates who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership qualities, original thought and creative ability.
The President’s National Entrance Scholarship offers students with a grant of approximately $40,000 over a period of four years. In order to attain this award recipients have to achieve a final average of 90 per cent in six Grade 12 courses and prove their creative ability along with their leadership qualities.
The scholarship is renewable each year provided a 3.67 CGPA and a clear academic standing are maintained and a full-time course load of 80% (4 units) is carried in both fall and winter semesters. Student housing is not part of the agreement, but recipients will be guaranteed space on campus residences during their first-year.
“When I got the call letting me know I had received the scholarship it took a while for the news to really sink in. When I told my family they were extremely proud of me! It made me feel that all the hard work I had put in over the last few years of high school had really been worth it,” said Jessa.
The President’s National Entrance Scholarship encourages students to work hard and stay focused not only while they are in school, but also throughout their university life.
“Even after I had gotten my acceptance to university, while some of my classmates stopped coming to class and studying, I continued to try to maintain my GPA because it still mattered for scholarships,” she added.
Third- year contemporary science student, Emma Crawley is also a recipient of this award and is grateful that such an opportunity came her way.
“The award helped me in many ways. Without it, I wouldn’t have come to Ryerson. It was the deciding factor for me to come here because otherwise it would have been very expensive to move all the way from Halifax and live in downtown Toronto,” said Crawley.
“I’m extremely grateful for having received this scholarship because I love Ryerson and I’m glad it gave me the opportunity to come here and experience university life in the biggest city in Canada.”
Shazah graduated from the Ryerson School of Journalism in 2014.