Two Surrey graduates each receive a $30,000 graduate scholarship

The Cmolik Foundation has awarded graduate scholarships of $30,000 each to Simrat Binning and Anna Niyosenga, both former students in Surrey. The foundation says the scholarship recognizes exceptional students who demonstrate excellence, leadership, knowledge and creativity, as well as service to others. Niyosenga is pursuing a Juris Doctor at UBC’s Peter A. Allard School of Law, while Binning is studying for a Doctor of Medicine degree at UBC.

Niyosenga told the foundation the scholarship supports her goal of making legal knowledge and advocacy more accessible to people who may face barriers navigating legal systems. She said that, while growing up, she saw people in her community face difficult circumstances without always understanding their legal rights or options. Those experiences helped inspire her to pursue law. She is now co-president of UBC’s Black Law Students’ Association, which supports Black law students through mentorship, academic and professional development, and connections with legal professionals.

The foundation says Niyosenga also developed and led the Rooted & Rising Great Lakes African Youth Summit this past summer. The event brought young people together to explore identity, culture, education and career pathways. In the release, she said: “I know what it means to pursue a path without always having a roadmap or seeing people with similar experiences reflected in the places I hoped to reach. The summit gave me an opportunity to turn that experience into something tangible for the next generation.”

Binning told the foundation that, growing up in Surrey, she saw family members struggle with mental health and addiction. Those experiences shaped her goal of becoming a physician who provides accessible, culturally responsive care to underserved communities. The foundation says she is particularly passionate about addressing stigma surrounding mental health and substance use in South Asian communities. Binning also co-founded a health initiative with peers to educate community members and challenge misconceptions about addiction, dementia, Parkinson’s disease and other health conditions.

“Providing effective healthcare is also about understanding the person, their community and culture, and the barriers that may prevent them from accessing care,” Binning said in the release. As a first-generation medical student, she told the foundation she hopes her journey will encourage other young people to pursue opportunities that may initially seem out of reach. “Not knowing how to get somewhere should not discourage you from believing that you belong there,” she said.

Both graduates said the scholarship represents more than financial support: it reflects a commitment to helping others and creating opportunities for future generations. Niyosenga said receiving it affirms how far she has come and reminds her to keep sight of the bigger picture. She added that she hopes to open doors for those who follow her. More information about Cmolik Foundation scholarships is available at thecmolikfoundation.com (https://thecmolikfoundation.com/).