NEADS and BMO Capital Markets announce Equity Through Education Student Awards

    OTTAWA, July 27 /CNW/ - The National Educational Association of Disabled
Students (NEADS) and BMO Capital Markets are pleased to announce the 10
outstanding winners of the 2009 NEADS Equity Through Education Student Awards
Program.
    The winners are: Esther Berman, Maya Chacaby, Michael Dadson, Carol Anne
Lapointe, Richard Francis, Larissa Fulawka, Cameron Grose, Quyen Le, Jing Yu
Li and Jennifer McCumber. This year's Awards are given in the categories of
University Undergraduate Studies (Esther, Maya, Larissa, Carol Anne, Jennifer
and Richard) Graduate Studies (Michael, Cameron, Quyen), and College/Cégep
Studies (Jing Yu). All recipients will be receiving $3,000 each to support the
costs of their tuition and student fees.
    Esther Berman is entering her 4th year in the Commerce, Human Resource
Management program at the University of Ottawa. She aspires to become
successful in the field of human resources, in either the public or private
sector. Maya Chacaby is pursuing an Honours Bachelor of Arts with a speciality
in Aboriginal Studies at the University of Toronto. Maya runs an Ojibwe
language group and is interested in Cree Martial Arts.
    Michael Dadson is a graduate student at the University of British
Columbia, completing a Ph.D in Counselling Psychology. His goal is to become a
registered psychologist and an expert research practitioner, educator and
supervisor. Carol Anne Lapointe is a recent graduate of McMaster University,
with a combined Honours Bachelor of Arts in Women's Studies and Cultural
Studies and Critical Theory. She is looking forward to a career working with
women, either in a women's centre or in a women-centred community
organization.
    Richard Francis is entering the final year of a Bachelor of Social
Sciences with Honours in Public Administration at the University of Ottawa.
Richard plans to work in the public service in a policy research or analysis
capacity. Larissa Fulawka is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick
with a Bachelor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Leadership. Larissa wants
to become an elementary school teacher.
    Cameron Grose is entering the third year of a Doctor of Medicine at the
University of British Columbia. He is part of the Northern Medical Program
which offers the opportunity to train in satellite rural communities, allowing
Cameron to tailor his clinical experiences to his interest in family medicine.
Quyen Le is about to start the third year of the M.A. Counselling Psychology
Program at Simon Fraser University. Quyen came to Canada as a Vietnamese
refugee 14 years ago and has overcome many challenges along the way related to
subsistence, language, culture, and disability to pursue her university
studies.
    Jing Yu Li is entering the second year of the Assaulted Women's and
Children's Counselor Advocate Program at George Brown College, which provides
students with a feminist analysis of the political and counselling issues
related to violence against women and children. She plans work in the field,
supporting women and children who have faced abuse in their lives. Jennifer
McCumber is enroled at Ryerson University in the Bachelor of Arts in
Disability Studies Program. Her career goal is to become a social worker, and
a strong advocate for persons with disabilities.
    "NEADS congratulates the 2009 winners of the NEADS Equity Through
Education Student Awards," said Dr. Mahadeo Sukhai, NEADS Past-President, and
Chair of the selection committee. "There were many excellent candidates in
this year's competition. The dedication, perseverance and achievements of this
year's winners embody the spirit of the Awards program. We wish them all the
very best in their studies, and look forward to watching their successes in
the future. We are grateful to BMO Capital Markets for its generous funding of
the Equity Through Education Student Awards."
    "We want to applaud all of this year's winners. Their remarkable
achievements will undoubtedly inspire young people with disabilities to
harness all of the opportunities vital to achieving success," said Eric Tripp,
President of BMO Capital Markets and a champion of the NEADS Equity Through
Education Student Awards program. "NEADS plays an important role in making
these pursuits come to life and its mission to work together for increased
accessibility throughout society ultimately results in equal access to
learning."

    About BMO's Equity Through Education Program -
    www.bmocm.com/equitythrougheducation

    Equity Through Education(R), is a charitable initiative launched by BMO
Capital Markets in 2005 to help people realize their educational ambitions by
giving them the means to pursue those goals. Some of the proceeds from Equity
Through Education, which has raised a total of $6.6 million to date, are used
to fund several NEADS initiatives including Job Search Strategies Forums
across Canada, the Equity Through Student Awards Program, and development work
on our job site, the NEADS Online Work System: www.nows.ca.

For further information: on the NEADS Equity Through Education Student
Awards program please contact the NEADS office: National Educational
Association of Disabled Students (NEADS), Rm. 426 Unicentre, Carleton
University, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, tel. (613) 380-8065, www.neads.ca or Kim
Hanson, Media Relations, BMO Capital Markets, kim.hanson@bmo.com, (416)
867-3996