By Elaine Smith

Maurinne Berewoudougou has only been a York University student since early September, but she already is busy with extracurricular activities.

“I’m so used to being involved, so if it’s just school to engage in, I’ll be bored,” said Berewoudougou, an international student from Burkina Faso and one of the 20 recipients of a President’s International Entrance Scholarship. York’s most prestigious scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence, commitment to volunteer work and extracurricular activities and leadership skills and provides awardees with $45,000 annually.

In addition to her health studies program in the Faculty of Health, Berewoudougou has been named the class representative for natural science, is volunteering with the community involvement team at Calumet residence and has been accepted to take part in York International’s annual SDGS in Action Go Global Student Challenge. Who knows what else she’ll add to her collection of activities?

After all, as she was growing up in Burkina Faso, volunteerism was something Berewoudougou’s family encouraged. In Grades 9 and 10, she worked to educate girls about their bodies and menstruation, a campaign run by UNICEF. After her family relocated to Ghana in Grade 10, she worked with a detoxification foundation, Future of Africa, raising awareness about mental health. Berewoudougou also worked with street residents, designing a curriculum and teaching them English and French language skills while seeking to get them off the streets. She also created a volunteer guide for others in the program.

“When you go to a private school in Burkina Faso, you see the class differences so clearly and wonder why other people can’t get the same opportunities you have,” she said.

In considering post-secondary education possibilities, Berewoudougou looked toward North America, focusing largely on Canada because she has family in Quebec. However, a friend mentioned York to her and she decided she liked the health studies program in the Faculty of Health, so she applied for a scholarship.

“I didn’t think the scholarship was real,” Berewoudougou said. “I was going to accept an offer in Quebec, but I saw the email and was very shocked. It was hard to turn down.”

York’s health studies program fits well with her plans to pursue a medical degree, possibly in neurology.

“I want to go back home eventually,” Berewoudougou said. “My goal is to end health disparities in Francophone West Africa. I’ll get trained, build a network and use those resources to better my country.”

She’s on track and is already building a strong network through her myriad volunteer activities.