Investing in the next generation is one of the many ways that TRREB Members are making a lasting difference. TRREB’s Past President’s Scholarship awards help pave the way for talented secondary school students as they continue on their journey to higher education. Since the inception of the program in 2007, 66 deserving students have received a total of $242,000 to put towards realizing their dreams.
This year, eight students join that prestigious group of scholarship recipients. Through careful research and personal reflection, they crafted papers on one of two essay topics: Renting vs. Owning or Using Greenbelt Land.
Read on to learn who won and more about our winners. It’s clear that they all have big aspirations to shape the future of the real estate industry and beyond.
The first-place winners are Lukas Othen and Ravetta Ravichandran.
Lukas’ essay explored whether renting or owning would truly achieve the Canadian dream. This fall, he will attend the University of Waterloo for the Mechanical Engineering Co-op program. In the future, Lukas aspires to pursue a career in the aerospace industry or contribute to research in this field. He would love to have the opportunity to work for the Canadian Space Agency or NASA.
Ravetta looked at whether prioritizing preserving the Greenbelt still makes sense given the steadily increasing population. She will attend Queen’s University in the Honours Health Sciences program. In the future, Ravetta aspires to work in the healthcare industry.
Eva Chima and Tina Xia are the second-place winners.
Eva’s essay shared the benefits and downfalls of renting versus owning within the GTA housing market. In September, she is starting her Bachelor of Health Sciences at McMaster University. Eva plans to continue to learn about various careers in research, including artificial intelligence use in medicine, family medicine, dermatology, and medical genetics.
Tina’s essay covered the current housing crisis in the GTA and whether it justifies building on Greenbelt land. She will study Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo. After she graduates, she wants to pursue a career as a high school physics teacher.
Our third-place winners are Allenna Tang and Ayla Bubber.
Allenna examined the pros and cons of renting versus owning and the impact of home affordability in today’s market. She is attending McGill University starting this fall. In the future, she hopes to explore a variety of fields, including those in the public and non-profit sectors.
Ayla’s paper discussed several options to potentially alleviate Ontario’s housing crisis. She will join Queen’s University to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree. Although Ayla plans on specializing in Political Science, she wants to eventually pursue a law degree and become a lawyer.
Our fourth-place award winners are Gajanandi Rajakulenthiran and Yalda Matin.
In her essay, Gajanandi delves into the benefits and limitations of renting versus home ownership. She will attend York University, specifically the Schulich School of Business for a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Gajanandi’s career goals include working in the public sector.
Yalda’s paper set out to discover if increased housing options impact the environment. She is attending the University of Toronto and will major in International Relations. Her dream is to become a diplomat.
Congratulations to our 2023 Past President’s Scholarship winners! Learn more about TRREB’s Past President’s Scholarship, including more about the winners and when to apply for the 2024 scholarships.
