SURREY — A Princess Margaret Secondary grad has earned an $80,000 scholarship for studies at Simon Fraser University.
Jasmine Rai is one of two winners of the prestigious Schulich Leader Scholarship, awarded annually to high school graduates enrolling in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) undergraduate program at participating universities in Canada and Israel.
The other scholarship, worth $100,000, goes to Basil Giannopoulos, a graduate of Gleneagle Secondary in Coquitlam. Both Rai and Giannopoulos begin their studies at SFU this September.
Rai is pursuing a bachelor of science with a joint major in computer science as well as molecular biology and biochemistry.
She and her scholarship co-winner were selected for their “outstanding academic and extra-curricular achievements, which are core requirements for the scholarship.”
In a statement, Rai said the 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 graduation from Princess Margaret with a perfect 4.00 grade point average, Rai earned multiple academic awards in mathematics, science and language arts. Outside of the classroom, she volunteered her time as a peer tutor at her school and also tutored young local kids in STEM-related courses.