Scholarship recipient hopes to be “driving force behind a movement of change”
The 2020 recipient of the Anne Beaty Scholarship is hoping to use language to inspire change.
Hannah Khurshid is an 18-year-old graduate of George McDougall High School currently enrolled in the University of Calgary Bachelor of Arts program with a major in Sociology and minor in Law and Society.
“While I was consistently pushed to pursue a career in the sciences and maths, I felt that I could meaningfully impact society just as much with the written word as I could with a medical or scientific degree,” she says.
“As the saying goes: ‘The pen is mightier than the sword,’ and I couldn’t agree more that there is no better way to inspire others than through our own experiences and words.”
Khurshid has a history of giving back to her community with volunteer experience at a number of local organizations including the Airdrie Food Bank, Mustard Seed, and Big Brother and Big Sisters.
“I feel extremely grateful and lucky to have been chosen among so many applicants, and to have the chance for more opportunities to achieve my goals in the future,” says Khurshid about receiving the scholarship.
“I just wanted to say thank you so much to airdrielife magazine and everyone involved for granting me this opportunity!”
The Anne Beaty Memorial Scholarship, awarded annually to a student passionate about the written word, is open to Alberta high school students/graduates who:
- demonstrate outstanding academic achievement;
- are dedicated community members;
- have proven leadership skills;
- are entering into post-secondary studies or are currently enrolled in post-secondary education.
Beaty’s daughters Kate Vogelaar and Sarah Christie and scholarship founder Sherry Shaw-Froggatt selected the recipient.
Vogelaar says, “We chose Hannah for her passion and big dreams. I see some of myself as well as some of mom in her.”
Christie says the passion with which Khurshid wrote her essay really stood out to her.
“She is a wonderful writer and a very driven young woman. I wanted to choose someone who mom would be proud of,” she adds.
Shaw-Froggatt says she is confident that Khurshid will go on to do great things.
“Hannah is a beautiful role model for students,” she adds.
“I have no doubt she will accomplish her dreams. airdrielife is proud to be able to help her in a small way work towards her goals.”
With her undergraduate degree, Khurshid plans to apply for law school to become a human rights attorney and travel to foreign countries, where she hopes to help minorities gain more individual rights, and stand up to injustices present in the modern world.
“I would like to better the lives of people who can’t do so and use my passion for language to discover a variety of cultures around the world,” she says.
“I believe that international communication and co-operation can change many global issues that we are facing today, and I would like to be a driving force behind the movement to change them.”
