Qendresa Sahiti always considered herself a curious person. She recalls being the annoying little kid that asked a million questions but was never quite satisfied with the responses.
From a young age she knew that she wanted to pursue something in science and even asked for a pocket microscope for Christmas one year. As she got older, she found herself always looking at the big picture, was especially fascinated by brain biology, and wanted to learn more about Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and early prediction of mental illness.
鈥淚 remember growing up that I had pictured an idealized version of the scientific process, where scientists worked on a mysterious vial of liquid for days, and a few rainbow-coloured clouds of smoke later, a scientific discovery was made, which was immediately transferred into use,鈥� she remembers.
And although she quickly learned that wasn鈥檛 the case, she was determined to find out how science was conducted in the real world 鈥� launching a journey that, this month, led her to one of Canada鈥檚 top student honours.
A 3M National Student Fellow
Last week, Qendresa 鈥� a fourth-year Neuroscience student originally from Kosovo, who鈥檚 also completing her Certificate in Science Leadership and Communication 鈥� was named .
Presented by the (STLHE), the 3M National Student Fellowship honours up to 10 full-time diploma and undergraduate students at Canadian post-secondary institutions who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in their lives, and at their post-secondary institution. These students embrace a vision of education that enhances their academic experience and beyond.
国民彩票 has had six student fellows over the past four years.
When asked how she felt about being the successful applicant, she says her brain has not yet fully processed it.
聽鈥淚t鈥檚 truly such a gift to be able to connect with others in the STLHE and I know this award will expose me to more opportunities to pursue my passion for higher education and help me develop connections with like-minded people that inspire and motivate me,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to learning from my fellow peers throughout the next year as we work together on a project aimed at improving the post-secondary experience for students.鈥�
Uncovering the world鈥檚 mysteries
Four years ago, Qendresa received the TD Scholarship for Community Leadership in recognition of her community-building endeavours and environmental initiatives. This allowed her to begin her journey in the Faculty of Sciences at 国民彩票.
鈥淭o me, science presented itself as an opportunity to develop an understanding of so many mysteries in our world that I had always wondered about,鈥� she says