Duchess Park student heads to McGill with $60,000 scholarship

A Duchess Park student has been awarded a prestigious $60,000 scholarship to attend McGill University.

Mana Moshkforoush won a Schulich Leader Scholarship for students entering Science, Technology and Engineering post-secondary programs.

“You don’t see that happen every day. Her focus is biomedical studies leading to medical school. That’s her ultimate goal is to study in the field of medicine,” says Duchess Park counsellor Kirk Elliot. “She’s been involved in St. John’s ambulance. She’s been involved in international things as well – a fundraising drive for HPV vaccinations in Tanzania. She’s got this global view that a lot of young people don’t quite have at this stage.”

Elliot says Mana was a natural choice to put forward for the scholarship, although several Duchess Park students were nominated.

“She is at the top of her class – academically motivated, mature for her age and seems to have a goal in mind and definitely works towards that, doesn’t really ever let up until she achieves whatever goal she’s seeking.”

Earlier this year, Moshkforoush applied for and won the Vimy Foundation’s Pilgrimage Award, earning a trip to France. She was one of just 20 students from across the country selected for the experience, which Elliot says gave her a chance to act as an ambassador for her school and her community.

Elliot sees bright things in her future.

“She’s looking at going into a helping profession like medicine which I think suits her well. She seems to have that perspective in terms of making the world a better place and helping people in general. I’m sure she’ll do well.”

He says Mana’s experience as an immigrant may contributed to her precociousness.

“She’s a relatively new Canadian. She moved to Canada in, I think, 2009. Definitely has integrated herself into the community and looks at things with a little different perspective maybe than some other students. I think that gives her a unique perspective.”