THE KNOWLEDGE FIRST FOUNDATION POSTGRADUATE AWARDS.

The economic future and prosperity of Canada depends on the ability of our young people to achieve their goals.  Especially for students aspiring to pursue graduate studies, the prospect of acquiring debt can be a very real obstacle.  The road can be long and tough and sometimes financial support makes all the difference.

Each year, the Knowledge First Foundation, sponsor and promoter of education savings plans offered offered by Knowledge First Financial, recognizes this challenge and offers postgraduate awards to students who have benefitted from our RESP plans. This year, awards with a total value of $120,000 have been offered to eleven students as they continue their academic journey.

Winners are selected on the basis of their outstanding academic achievement and contributions to community.   Applications are accepted throughout year until June 15th.  For further information, visit the Postgraduate Award page  on the Student Resources section of the Knowledge First Financial website.

Elan Panov studied at the University of Western Ontario, where he received his Bachelor of Science with an Honours Specialization in Biology. He believes that having an RESP from Knowledge First Financial enabled him to make his post-secondary education “more than just about academics.” He explains, “RESPs not only meant financial support during my undergraduate education, but also meant that I was able to grow as an individual while at the same time giving back to my community and preparing for my future career.” Elan was delighted to be receive the top award in 2011, helping pursue his dream of practicing medicine.  Read more.

 

Caitlin McMillan, who received an award in 2010 notes, “It would not have been possible to attend Oxford University without the [Knowledge First Foundation] scholarship of $15,000.” Her and many others are already well on their way to making this country a better place.

  

Another winner, Adam Pankalla, spoke of how grateful the extra funding was for him;  “Winning the award was very comforting. At the time, I was already carrying a considerable amount of student debt and I would soon be switching programs and moving cities. Though I was able to obtain additional student loans, they did not sufficiently cover all expenses. This award was very helpful as it allowed me to focus on my studies and not stress out about finances. I am extremely fortunate that I can follow my passion and dedicate so much time to my studies without needing to worry about finances.”

 

Another student who won the top award in 2010, Ariel Hendin, speaks of how life is going thus far; “My first year of medicine has been an overwhelming and wonderful experience.  There is so much to learn and see; I've gotten to shadow a number of physicians in a variety of specialties which has only made me want to explore more!”

 

Braden Teitge, a past winner and a medical student studying cancer research speaks of his passion for curing this deadly disease; “I think we are on the cusp of so many important innovations in this field, and I plan to be a part of it every step of the way.  I cannot thank [Knowledge First Financial] enough for allowing me to realize this goal.”

Congratulations to the following students for their academic achievement.