Giving back
Edmonton student is breaking barriers to inspire young women in STEM
Sep 25, 2024
Story as it appears in the
Edmonton Journal
on September 10, 2024.Sofia Sejutee is studying computer engineering at the University of Alberta with support from the
TELUS Student Bursary
.A young Edmonton computer engineering student with stars in her eyes has taken a significant step toward reaching her goals, thanks to the TELUS Student Bursary, awarded for her inspiring social impact and resilience in the face of adversity.
Sofia Sejutee, a second-year student at the University of Alberta with dreams of pursuing a career in the aerospace industry, has overcome numerous challenges on her path to success. Her childhood was marked by financial and social struggles. Her parents, who immigrated to Edmonton from Bangladesh, worked days to keep the family afloat and studied nights as they looked to create opportunities for themselves and their children. Their hard work saw improved quality of life as the years passed, and Sejutee drew from them a lifelong value of education.
“My academic ambitions flourished while living in the inner city during my formative years, and I dreamed of being a scientist,” Sejutee says.
Without the TELUS bursary, however, Sejutee’s dreams for the future and all she sought to achieve were at risk.
“This bursary has given me a rare opportunity to (reach my goals) by supporting my academic needs while also giving me this platform to speak,” she says, adding it has also given her a confidence boost to break barriers. “Being a woman in a male-dominated field can be intimidating, but the TELUS Student Bursary has definitely given me a confidence boost to not only keep going but to thrive in a new and unfamiliar space.”
Launched last year, the TELUS Student Bursary fund, created through a $25 million endowment gift from TELUS, along with an additional $25 million commitment in fundraising from TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, is awarded annually to more than 500 students who are experiencing critical financial need and are committed to making a difference in their communities. These bursaries, valued at $5,000 for university students and $3,000 for college students, are intended to help break down financial barriers and empower youth to thrive and reach their full potential.
For Sejutee, her passion for aerospace was bolstered when she won the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program Mission 14 competition, hosted in partnership with NASA, in 2019. Her winning experiment, which examined the effect of microgravity on the early development of brine shrimp, was conducted on the International Space Station by astronauts. She says the accomplishment gave her the motivation to pursue a career in science, technology, engineering and math.
Sejutee hopes her story can inspire others and make a difference in the community.
“I wonder how much good it would have done for a younger me to see someone I identify with doing the things I aspired to do. I hope that is what someone gets from hearing a little bit about my life, my struggles, my victories, and that achieving their goals becomes more accessible because of it,” she says.
Helping to bring to life the dreams of inspiring young changemakers like Sejutee, 70% of the TELUS Student Bursaries were awarded to equity-deserving groups including Black, First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and refugee or newcomer youth in the program’s first year. Additionally, 40% were the first in their family to pursue post-secondary education in Canada.
In addition to supporting those in financial need, the TELUS Student Bursary is awarded to students who are committed to giving back in their local communities. One of Sejutee’s many inspiring endeavours is her diverse range of volunteer work, including her involvement in the U of A’s WISEST Youth Council, where she has been the project lead for the STEM Profiles Project.
“My team and I are creating written pieces that showcase the incredible achievements of five women in STEM across Alberta,” she says.
The project fills a need she saw in her own experiences. “Growing up, I rarely saw people who looked like me showcased as successes in the STEM field, a disheartening reality no child should have to experience when trying to pursue their dreams.”
Sejutee also volunteers and assists with teaching violin at Youth Orchestra of Northern Alberta (YONA), where she was once a participant in the music program for underprivileged kids.
A
2023 poll
reported that 75% of students say that it is very hard to afford post-secondary education, and nearly one-in-three students have considered withdrawing from their studies due to financial difficulty.“It can be very overwhelming trying to pursue your dreams while also dealing with the realities of life, which is often difficult for kids with various socio-economic disadvantages,” Sejutee says.
As the bursary is based on need and not merit, Sejutee encourages other students to not be afraid to apply.
“This award is special because individuals do not need an extensive list of achievements to be considered, especially because many students have the potential to accomplish this but not the resources,” she says.
To learn more about the program or to donate to help even more students achieve their dreams,
click here
.
