UOIT students win Millennium Scholarship Awards for leadership inside and out of the classroom

UOIT celebrated five visionary students on November 30 at a ceremony to honour this year's recipients of Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation Excellence Awards in recognition of outstanding leadership.

The winners gathered in the faculty lounge of the Business and Information Technology building with family members and their respective deans to celebrate their accomplishments, and received accolades from UOIT President Dr. Ronald Bordessa.

"At UOIT, we're focused on student success so naturally we're very proud of these five outstanding men and women being honoured with these prestigious scholarships," said Margaret Greenley, vice-president of Student Affairs. "These awards are an investment in exceptional individuals who serve as leaders and role models on campus. We fully expect they will have long, productive careers and accomplishments that will no doubt continue to benefit our communities and country."

The Millennium Excellence Award program recognizes post-secondary students who thrive in the classroom and community and are considered to be the visionary leaders of tomorrow. Each winner receives a $4,000 to $5,000 gift to help them continue to improve their community, implement new ideas and maintain a solid academic record.

The recipients' resumes boast several extracurricular activities and philanthropic work, including one who spearheaded an online forum for the South Asian community and another who is the founder and president of the UOIT Law Club. They all have excellent marks in their programs - two have grade point averages higher than 4.0 - while juggling other activities such as student council and sports.

"I feel so proud to have received this award," said Rishikesan Kamaleswaran, a $4,000 renewable scholarship winner and third-year Health Sciences student who plans to attend medical school. "Ghandi said 'be the change you want to see in the world' and winning this award motivates me to keep going and take on new challenges."

Ritchie Jacob, a third-year Criminology and Justice student, also received a renewable scholarship valued at $4,000.

The other UOIT Millennium Award recipients are Gregory Vass, a third-year mechanical Engineering student who received a $5,000 renewable scholarship; and Tomy Fawcett, a third-year Nuclear Engineering student, and Jennifer Foden, a third-year Criminology and Justice student, who both received $4,000 one-time scholarships.

An innovative university, UOIT delivers an academically challenging learning environment that uniquely combines a diverse array of programs delivered by globally experienced professors with hands-on research opportunities and a vibrant student life. Being immersed in this leading-edge environment allows students to connect with their professors and peers at any time, anywhere and puts them one step ahead when they graduate.

About Ontario Tech University
A modern, forwarding-thinking university, Ontario Tech advances the discovery and application of knowledge to accelerate economic growth, regional development and social innovation. We inspire and equip our students and our graduates to make a positive impact in a tech-focused world. For us, it’s not only about developing the next tech breakthrough. Understanding and integrating the social and ethical implications of technology differentiates us as university. Learn more at ontariotechu.ca.

Media contact
Melissa Levy
Communications and Marketing
Ontario Tech University
905.721.8668 ext. 2513
melissa.levy@uoit.ca