We recently surveyed current scholars to learn how the first semester of the school year went and what is keeping them inspired and busy on campus. Check out some excerpts of those responses below!
What was your favorite course of the past term and why?
“Structural Design. Great appreciation for it's nature of being less theoretical and highly practicable.” ~Andy
“Surgery and Internal Medicine because it gives me more opportunities to be apart of practical procedures and be involved in actually saving lives” ~Gina
“My favourite course has to be Internet Computing II because it was challenging, I learnt a ton, plus I got some practical experience building websites while focusing the server-side or backend aspect that does all the database queries and processing.” ~Kerrie
"Descriptive Anatomy. My interest in becoming a Sports Doctor was sharpened even more as I became au fait with the anatomy of the human body, both inside and outside." ~Hilton
What have you been doing outside of classes this term?
“I joined Potluck. An organisation headed by my Physiology lecturer that gears at feeding the homeless.” ~Natifa
“I recently joined the cybersecurity club within my Computer Science department. My interest in cybersecurity has grown since I was a member of the club. We had an activity during CS week and made small takeaways like brochures and book markers to inform other students in the university about our club and how to practise cybersafety on the internet and about the many cyberthreats that can occur." ~Kerrie
"I continued training with the National Hockey team and represented Guyana at two competitions “Pan American Indoor Hockey Championships 2017 which was hosted in Guyana (October 14-23) and “CAC Games Qualifiers 2017 which was hosted in Jamaica (November 5-12)” ~Hilton
“I am the secretary of my faculty, Agriculture Club. I am a member of a NGO, called R.E.A.C.H. We serve the less fortunate citizens in our society." ~Tatyana
What does being a SAGE scholar mean to you?
I am offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to make my dream of becoming a doctor a reality. Everyday, I reflect and appreciate the fact that I definitely would not have made it this far without SAGE and for that I am forever grateful. ~Louise
It means I can accomplish my dream of helping Guyana and by extension help the world become a better place. ~Lisa
SAGE has made my dreams reality and motivates me towards a better life for myself and family. ~Reuel
We look forward to sharing more upates with you as our scholars progress through University!
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Hilton aspires to become a Doctor of Sports Medicine in Guyana, an underrepresented profession. The below excerpts from his SAGE essay demonstrate his passion for both Guyana and his field of study:
"Guyana has talented athletes in all sports and many are competing at the international level such as the last Summer Olympics and Pan American Cups Championships, among others. These athletes provide a spotlight for their homeland which captures the minds of foreign investors... When athletes sustain an injury, usually what happens in Guyana [is that] they tend to “kiss their dreams goodbye”. Little or no health service is provided to encourage them to remain committed to the sport until recovery. As a result, the country is at a loss with its natural talent and if this continues, Guyana’s athletic participation at the international stage will deter."
"Personally, I believe that my homeland would one day be heard across the oceans with its performance in sports involvement and that can only be possible with adequate provision such as medical doctors, therapists, facilities among others being provided. I am and will always be willing to contribute to something as promising as Guyana’s transformation."
Please keep an eye out for future updates on Hilton! We will check in with him later in the year to see how his studies are progressing.
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Last year we welcomed three new scholars to the SAGE family! We recently caught up with one of our newest scholars, Natifa, to talk about her first year at the University of Guyana, where she is studying Medecine.
1. What has been your favorite class this year?
My favorite courses this year have been both first and second
semester English. I have always loved English because it enables me to
express my thoughts and ideas in writing.
2. What was your proudest moment this year?
My proudest moment this year was receiving my grades. It feels good to
reap the benefits of hard work. My most exciting moments were during
labs. The lab exercises really piqued my interest especially applying
the results of the labs to the body. For example, we did a lab
investigating buffers. We learned about how the blood acts as a
buffer in humans to ensure their survival.
3. How was your adjustment to life at UG?
University life is definitely different from high school life. I faced
two main challenges: the difference in delivery of content and the
difference in class size. To cope with the former I had to ensure that
I changed my way of learning. Hence, some friends and I initiated a
studying group that made a remarkable difference in the content I
remembered. To cope with the latter I had to ensure that I went to
class early enough.
4. What does being a SAGE scholar mean to you?
Being a SAGE scholar means that I have been entrusted with the
opportunity to better myself and by extension my country, by a body
(SAGE) that believes I have the ability to do so. This gives me a
sense of responsibility and encourages me to push my limits.
We are currently reviewing applications for this year's SAGE scholarship! This is the first year we have used an online application, and we have seen a major increase in the number of applicants.Your support directly impacts the number of students we are able to fund each year. Thank you for your generosity!
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This year’s applicant pool for a SAGE scholarship was incredibly competitive, but ultimately we were very excited to welcome three new scholars to the SAGE family! We recently caught up with one of our newest scholars, Tejyas, to talk about his first semester at UG, where he is studying Civil Engineering.
Tejyas grew up in New Amsterdam, where his interest in Civil Engineering was piqued at a young age. He described days spent at home or at the beach building tunnels, dams, and even miniature cities "complete with roads, buildings, bridges and rivers" out of mud or sand. Later, when the pontoon bridge was being built over the Berbice river, Tejyas recalls his curiosity to watch its progress during construction and his excitement to cross it when complete. He explained "passion breeds when we are young, in my case, my path to civil engineering had been laid before me."
What has been your favorite class this semester and why?
My favourite class this semester is engineering mathematics. I enjoy math as a whole, ever since secondary school, and topics like calculus are very fun for a math fan. My proudest moment was when I saw that I had an A for my first set of engineering math quizzes.
How was your adjustment to life at UG?
The biggest adjustment I had to make to attend the university was to leave my family back at home (Berbice) to live in Georgetown (the capitol city). It was not easy at first but I am starting to cope better with the environment.
What impact do you hope to have on Guyana?
Civil Engineers are responsible for building good quality transportation systems like highways, airports, seaports, etc. The right design and construction of these structures ensures their longevity and helps facilitate the infusion of foreign capital by enabling tourism, attracting multinational companies to Guyana and providing a basis for local business development. Guyana can become better developed and strong because of civil engineers.
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This year’s applicant pool for a SAGE scholarship was incredibly competitive, but ultimately we were very excited to welcome three new scholars to the SAGE family! We recently caught up with one of our newest scholars, Reuel, to talk about his first semester at UG. Reuel comes from a family of nine, making their living as farmers on Wakenaam Island, just west of Georgetown. Reuel is studying Electrical Engineering and hopes to contribute to the development of Guyana by improving the country's power supply.
What has been your favorite class this semester and why?
Electrical Fundamentals (ELE-1111), is my favorite course for this semester. The reason is that it's a very interesting course and it’s the main or base course for Electrical Engineering. I am also fascinated by electrical applications and how the foundation of electricity came to be, which this course teaches.
What was your proudest moment this semester?
My proudest moment this semester was when I received my grades for the mid-semester tests. I am satisfied with them and it shows that I am going on an upwards scale, although there is still room for improvement. I know I have the potential to succeed.
How was your adjustment to life at UG?
The rate at which lectures were being taught and the pop quizzes during lectures wasn't much of a challenge, but at first I found it hard to cope with. I eventually got in a groove by browsing through my notes before classes commenced. I also read up on topics that would follow in the next class for the course; which helped me get a better understanding of the work.
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