“I came to Cambrian as an international student, and the last three years were not easy, especially financially.”
I had to take out loans and work part-time jobs while studying, but it was all worth it. The bursaries I received from the Cambrian donors helped ease my financial burdens. At Cambrian, there is so much support from faculty and they are truly focused on your success. I really feel like I am part of a big family here at Cambrian. It has been an amazing journey, and I am pleased to share that I recently received my permanent Canadian residency!”
Shreya Thomas – Dental Hygiene
“In grade 11, I suffered from a severe concussion while playing football, and it changed my life. I went from being a high achiever to struggling to read simple sentences. For the next several years, I struggled with a new learning disability that actually forced me to leave high school temporarily. Now, four years later, I still struggle with some cognitive areas, and it is unlikely I will ever fully recover. I have had to forgo a job during the school year in order to focus on my studies; as such, the bursaries I have received have been vital to my success. I hope that with continued support and hard work, one day I will achieve my dream of becoming a Registered Nurse and be able to help others persevere through their own medical perils.”
Max Bennett – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
“I am a 29 year old single parent, and am the sole provider for my three daughters, one of whom has autism.”
“My girls are one of the reasons I decided to return to college. I wanted a better life for my family. I took upgrading courses at Cambrian, and within a year I was ready to enroll. I chose the Social Service Worker program, given my own life experiences, because it will put me in a position to help others who are in difficult circumstances. I am very grateful for all the support and guidance I’ve received through Cambrian College. You never know where life may take you.”
Alicia Gilbert-Rowat – Social Service Worker
“I am in my third year of the Medical Laboratory Technology program at Cambrian College. I lived in Timmins and worked as a lab attendant for Public Health Ontario, where their laboratory has a long history of retaining technologists in the north. I was encouraged by my fellow colleagues to upgrade my education, expanding my opportunities in my field. I have faced many challenges since beginning. The toughest one…being a mother away from my two young children. I travel every week, a 600-kilometre round-trip, between Timmins and Sudbury, while working to maintain my studies. I have taken an unpaid leave from work and am renting a room in Sudbury. In addition to my own expenses I also contribute to all the bills back home. Becoming a technologist has always been my goal. It will add immense value to myself, my family and my community, and I plan on staying in the north to ensure people have the services they need. I’d like to share a quote that means a lot to me – “Challenges are what make life interesting, overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”
Stephanie Cote Girard – Medical Laboratory Technician