When my granddaughter Janaya graduated from high school in Saskatoon, the school awarded her a $ 1,000 scholarship to college. She is smart but also has an amazing work ethic and spends a lot of time on her studies. Intelligence plus hard work is a good way to get it right.
Although she played the piano wonderfully and was a good artist, she decided she wanted to study engineering. Not everyone encouraged her in this election, as there is an occupational gender bias in the field. In fact, statistics indicate that less than 10 percent of registered engineers in Saskatchewan are women.
Janaya’s age might have slowed her down when she entered the program at the University of Saskatchewan right after high school.
She did not come from a wealthy family, she had initially been afraid to apply for scholarships and knew that she would have to work to help finance her education.
What he did not lack was determination. He worked at a breakfast restaurant and later found that taking a mixology course would earn him better tips in the service industry. He found a summer job in a greenhouse-like setting.
And all the time he was in class he worked and studied and worked and studied.
Finally, when he was in his early twenties, he was about to graduate with an engineering degree, but was unable to attend the convocation ceremony. You see, she had found a job at a tractor company and created a plan with her employer to travel to Europe to design a project for them that would help her obtain a master’s degree in engineering.
Janaya went to Belgium for three months alone! I can’t really tell you what he did for the employer because frankly I don’t get it (I’m not an engineer). However, what I do know is what I learned through your regular posts. Every weekend for three months, Janaya had an adventure and her blogs were full of photos from the many countries she visited. Now remember this is a twenty-two year old student with limited money, employer expectations, and assignments to complete.
He is now back in Saskatoon and is writing the necessary documentation to complete the two-year degree that he hopes to earn in one year. Oh, and don’t think she plans to rest just yet. Her mother recently informed me that Janaya is considering applying for a PhD program.
I remember asking Janaya a couple of years ago what the long-term goal would be. At the time, she said “aerospace engineering”! I don’t know if that will happen but in the meantime, she is in the very small group of female engineers in Saskatchewan on her way to the Master of Engineering. And he’s been on tour in Europe!
The next time you find yourself saying “I can’t do this,” think again!
Thank you, Janaya, for your wonderful example. You are an inspiration to all of us.