From Ross Bowser and Kevin Power, Co-Chairs District Global Grant Scholars Committee

The Trustees of The Rotary Foundation recently confirmed the award of two District 7070 Global Grant Scholarships for the 2017-2018 academic year.

The first recipient is Krista Kruja, sponsored by the Toronto West Rotary Club. Krista is a Toronto resident who received her Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) degree with a Global Health Specialization from McMaster University. Krista will be pursuing a joint Master’s Degree in Health Policy, Planning and Financing through the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the London School of Economics, in London, England.

The second recipient is Spencer McMurray, sponsored by the Toronto East Rotary Club and a graduate of the University of Toronto where he received his Honours Bachelor of Arts in Peace, Conflict, and Justice, minor in Political Science. Spencer will pursue a Masters of International Security, with a concentration in conflict resolution and a regional concentration on the Middle East, and the study of Arabic at the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po, in Paris, France.

To hear more about these two outstanding individuals............Read more
 

 

From Ross Bowser and Kevin Power, Co-Chairs District Global Grant Scholars Committee

The Trustees of The Rotary Foundation recently confirmed the award of two District 7070 Global Grant Scholarships for the 2017-2018 academic year.

The first recipient is Krista Kruja, sponsored by the Toronto West Rotary Club. Krista is a Toronto resident who received her Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) degree with a Global Health Specialization from McMaster University. Krista will be pursuing a joint Master’s Degree in Health Policy, Planning and Financing through the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the London School of Economics, in London, England. This scholarship was awarded under Rotary Area of Focus Disease Prevention and Treatment.

 In the photo: Krista (seen here with President Leighton Reid) visits the Rotary Club of Toronto West 

Krista’s objectives are to improve public health policy-making through knowledge translation, either at a university or an international organization like the World Health Organization (WHO). She has prior experience as a research assistant for Global Strategy Lab, and with the Health Evidence Secretariat of the WHO in project management of evidence synthesis reports. She believes that as health care interventions reference evidence-based medicine, public health decisions must utilize evidence-based policymaking to save lives and maximize utility of resources. Her goal is to address public health challenges – locally and globally – with a comprehensive awareness of scientific evidence, and the social and economic components of policymaking.

The second recipient is Spencer McMurray, sponsored by the Toronto East Rotary Club and a graduate of University of Toronto where he received his Honours Bachelor of Arts in Peace, Conflict, and Justice, minor in Political Science. Spencer will pursue a Masters of International Security, with a concentration in conflict resolution and a regional concentration on the Middle East, and the study of Arabic at the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po, in Paris, France. This scholarship was awarded under Rotary Area of Focus Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution.

 L to R: Angela Kim, Kevin Power (co-chair Global Grant Scholars Committee), Krista and Spencer 

Spencer plans to continue his career in conflict negotiation, building on his experience as a writer and research assistant with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in East Jerusalem . He selected the PSIA program to prepare him to write holistic peace agreements to create sustainable solutions and policies, particularly in post-conflict societies, so that migrants can thrive and live to their full potential. He believes learning about alternative conflict resolution mechanisms, and writing properly informed agreements, is integral to building sustainable and peaceful societies. His goal is to be a conflict negotiator or peace and development advisor with the UNDP , the Canadian Government or a third-party mediator.

District 7070 is very proud to have been awarded Global Grant Scholarships for these two motivated candidates. They represent Rotary’s motto of  Service Above Self and their long term goals align with the respective Rotary Area of Focus.