The Scholarship Program announces 2020 winners!
by Linda Kowalski, Chair, Mensa Canada Scholarship Program
The Mensa Canada Scholarship Program has announced the 2020 winners of the Mensa Canada Scholarship Program: The general Mensa Scholarship of $2000 will go to Ana Brennan, a Masters student studying at the University of Ottawa. She is working on medical devices to help women who have pelvic floor disorders. The Edgar Kerstan Memorial Award of $3000 will go to Rebecca Kozak, a Ph.D. candidate at Western University studying the neuroscience of movement disorders. Congratulations to our winners, and also to the Mensan judges who put so many hours into reading and judging essays. We’re so proud of you! Go to the scholarship program website at mensacanada.ca to read their winning essays.
There are so many reasons to celebrate both the winners and also the fact that this is YOUR scholarship program, judged and administered entirely by Canadian Mensans. First of all, candidates for MCSP scholarships must show true dedication and work toward a tangible goal. Candidates spend long hours volunteering in their chosen field. Many have already been published in peer reviewed journals. It’s not enough to just be enrolled as a student and needing money….what student doesn’t!? You must also show what you have done so far to achieve your goal and you must convince the judges within 250 words that you are highly likely to achieve that goal. Go to our website at mensacanada.ca and read some of the winning essays.
Unlike large charities, which may spend up to 58% (of donations) on administration, including executive salaries and professional fund raisers, the MCSP spends approximately 5% (of the total amount awarded) per year on administration. The Board members are all volunteers, all meetings are held by conference call and no professional fund raisers are used. Almost all of your donations go to scholarships. You will never get any unwanted useless trinkets in the mail: keychains, socks, fridge magnets, notebooks, mini-toilet plungers or underwear promoting the MCSP. You will never be “reminded” several times per year to donate.
So, now that we know that the MCSP will never send you “reminders” in the mail or by email, how about donating to your very own registered charity! Your donation to the Mensa Canada Scholarship Program can go right on your form when you renew your membership, this year. Or you can send a cheque made out to the Mensa Canada Scholarship Program to the Mensa Canada Office at 1 Eglinton Ave. E. Suite 705, Toronto, ON, M4P 3A1. Also, why not volunteer to judge essays! Just email the judging coordinator at, Nuala Robinson at geekynerd@outlook.com
It’s your scholarship program!
