By Elaine Smith

Caitlin Brooker knew that if she wanted to pursue her dream of studying pharmaceutical chemistry, she’d have to leave the Caribbean to find a university with the appropriate expertise, and that meant applying for a scholarship.

“If I’d wanted to go to medical school, it would have been better to stay, but since I’m interested in pharmaceutical research, there’s nothing available,” said Brooker, a native of Trinidad. “There are more opportunities here in Canada.

“I considered medicine for a while, but I knew deep down I didn’t want to be a doctor. Drug design fascinates me, and I don’t want a career that I’m not into.”

At the local universities fair, she met a York recruiter and discovered that the university would meet her needs nicely. She applied for a scholarship and was awarded a President’s International Scholarship of Excellence, awarded to incoming first-year students who demonstrate academic excellence, commitment to volunteer work and extracurricular activities, and leadership skills.

“The scholarship is a big opportunity for me,” Brooker said. “I couldn’t have come without it. It’s a huge burden lifted off my shoulders, because my parents don’t need to worry about tuition, food or lodging, so it won’t make a big dent in their savings.”

She was home alone when she learned that she’d earned the scholarship.

“I started screaming,” Brooker said. “I couldn’t wait to tell my parents. My dad isn’t an emotional person, but I could see in his face how proud he was. It’s a big thing for them and a big thing for me.”

Brooker is happy to be at York, although “it’s a big culture shock. There’s the weather and being away from everything and everyone I know and love, but it’s a good experience. York seemed like a really great place and it is.”

She is also adjusting to living in residence with large numbers of people and sharing bathrooms.

“It’s very convenient and there are always nice people around to talk to,” she said.

At home in Trinidad, “I was always someone who needed balance,” and Brooker was involved in school activities as well as her studies. She served as class president for a few years, volunteered at an animal shelter and took lessons in a variety of dance styles for years. Although she has a heavier load of schoolwork here, Brooker is determined to keep that balance, because it is important to her. She has joined the Caribbean Club (UCI), which has a dance team, and a couple of STEM clubs.

“University is a lot more work than high school and there’s a lot of new information,” Brooker said. “I’m trying to manage my time and not underestimate the workload, but I want to make sure I’m open to everything. It’s important to have balance.”