President’s Scholars honoured

On January 21, President and Vice-Chancellor David T. Barnard recognized this year’s President’s Scholars at a reception held in their honour. The university awards the designation annually to students entering the institution with a minimum 95 per cent high school average and to those who maintain a minimum grade point average of 4.0 for the rest of their first degree. Currently the university has over 400 President’s Scholars.

Insignia on President’s Scholars pin.

The celebratory reception, held at Pembina Hall, included speeches by Barnard, as well as Matt Sanscartier (B.A. 2014), alumnus and former President’s Scholar. For the first time, a specially designed pin was handed out to fourth year scholars in order to recognize their notable achievement getting to this point in their degree.

André Marchildon, third year mechanical engineering student in the Faculty of Engineering has been among this elite group since his first year of study.

“I consider being a President’s Scholar for the past 3 years a great honour. It is wonderful that the University of Manitoba recognizes students that are excelling academically,” says Marchildon, whose academic achievement has also earned him an Emerging Leader Award and the C.D. Howe Endowment Fund National Engineering Scholarship. He is still considering the direction he’ll take after graduation but hopes that a summer of research with mechanical engineering professor Mark Tachie might help with his decision.

“Being a President’s Scholar is a privilege that motivates and encourages me towards excellence and leadership in academics and beyond,” says Katelyn Goertzen, a second year nursing student. Goertzen chose to study nursing because of her passion for healthcare and caring for others. She would like to pursue community health and hopes to one day use her skills to serve overseas. In addition to being a President’s Scholar, Goertzen received a number of awards and scholarships upon entering university including the Governor General Bronze medal, and recently received the Southern RHA and Pat Porter Memorial Nursing Scholarship.

With the President’s Scholar designation, students are eligible for a number of select benefits including, scholarship funding, priority registration, special notation on transcripts, exclusive access to the President’s Scholars Study Lounge, and invitation to events sponsored by the Office of the President, and University of Manitoba faculties.

The President’s Scholars program is facilitated by various Student Affairs departments including Financial Aid and Awards, University 1 and Student Life. Last year, 10,934 student awards were given to U of M students.