BridgeTO Youth Superstars: Enas
We are excited to introduce snapshots of some of our remarkable students from the BridgeTO graduating class of 2020. They have not only mapped out their dreams into actionable goals but have begun to take their first steps to achieve them. This Spring 2020 we will be highlighting a few who have generously shared their stories with us in order to better reflect who we serve, who you are helping with your donations, and to motivate our future students.
Future Science Leader
True to her passion, Enas is one of BridgeTOs’ first students to be accepted to university. She has accepted her offer to the science program at the University of Waterloo, a 5-year program that includes co-op, where she later hopes to specialize in biochemistry. Some of her possible career goals include working as an epidemiologist for Doctors without Borders or for Islamic Relief as a public health worker, assessing situations around the world, and how better to improve them.
With a childhood fondness for the sciences, Enas retells how as a 3rd grader she lectured her uncle on the 3 states of matter to which he responded, “What is matter?” Enas replied, “Matter is everything,” then he jokingly asked, “What is the matter?” *Cue peals of laughter* Memories of her fascination with the sciences further cement her current trajectory today.
When reflecting on her journey thus far she attests that Amal, BridgeTO tutor and mentor, has been integral to her figuring out her path.
“I didn’t plan to go to University of Waterloo before BridgeTO, let alone leave Toronto.”
Amal, a University of Waterloo alumnus with a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry, has become one of Enas’s role models though the many months of one on one tutoring that she has provided. Amal encouraged Enas to not only realize that university was a financial possibility, but also gave realistic plans on a career in the very competitive health field.
“I started BridgeTO in grade 11- at that time there were only tutors. BridgeTO has helped connect me to mentors, like a pharmacist who went to the University of Waterloo, and I was able to learn about Waterloo coops from previous alumni.”
She explains that “BridgeTO has helped me connect to different mental health organizations, like Naseeha, that inspired me to start a mental health club at school. The BridgeTO event at Roche, also gave me the opportunity to speak to people with undergrad degrees in the science field and I further had the chance to ask about their career choices and why they chose their careers.”
Enas giving her elevator pitch at the BridgeTO event hosted at KPMG with Benjie Thomas
Enas, besides being a high achieving academic student is also very active in the student body. She admits that in the past a lack of planning was her biggest mistake but that she now attributes her ability to plan her goals as a factor of her success.
Her advice? “Take advantage of the opportunities BridgeTO is giving you”
She lists the benefits including that it is absolutely free and incredibly beneficial: the field trips are enriching, the Roche event taught us how to assess risk factors, KPMG taught us how to sell a pitch. The opportunities to connect with volunteer tutors and mentors, who each have professional lives of their own and are sharing their time, information and knowledge is priceless. The incredible exclusive opportunities like seeing Barack Obama speak and the opportunity to scholarships are experiences that I will cherish forever.
Lastly, she adds that networking and making connections with others were lessons she learned and will take away from her experience in BridgeTO Youth. Her most recent experience has been BridgeTO connecting her with Islamic Relief Canada Volunteers, an organization on her future career goals list while helping with Ramadan Iftar distribution.
When I asked her for any final words of wisdom she said,
“I want to add that success isn’t limited to your financial status or your zip code and BridgeTO has helped show us that. By coming to BridgeTO it has taught me that success is within our reach if we are willing to reach for it and work hard for it.”