This week’s campus celebrity issue features a very bright and involved young woman, Honours Specialization in Health Science student Mannat Sharma. Mannat is in her fourth year and will be traveling to Washington D.C. in the U.S. for her last semester as an undergraduate student through the Fulbright-Killam Fellowship program. This is a very prestigious program in which fewer than 20 students in Canada are chosen each year. Mannat will be representing Western University at American University in D.C. beginning in January. This program, which is supported by Foreign Affairs, International Trade Canada, and the American Killam Trusts, is an important part of the foundation’s strategy to create mutual understanding between Canada and the U.S.
Mannat has been involved in many clubs and student organizations at Western. She was on the executive team for Western LiT, which is a health promotion program created through Western and implemented into elementary public schools. This program uses university students as mentors to children that have grown up in lower-income neighbourhoods. The volunteers get to know the children on an interpersonal level, and help in teaching them healthy eating and lifestyle habits.
Mannat is also the managing director at Nspire Innovation Network. Nspire is Canada’s largest run non-profit organization in the business and technology space. Nspire has a mission to connect, empower and inspire the next generation of CEOs, Leaders and Managers through different types of events such as conferences, networking events, and on-campus workshops. Mannat’s role involves her planning these events by collaborating with businesses, sponsors and organizations.
Recently, Mannat has been selected as a fellow for StartingBloc, a group of people that bring together all kinds of professionals (entrepreneurs, activists, educators and innovators) to work as a team to create change in the world. StartingBloc brings these professionals together and gives them the resources required to create the change they are interested in making. This is a great program that gives fellows the resources and opportunities that they need to find meaningful work, start their own companies and bring about change in the way they’d like.
Mannat aspires to one day become a healthcare lawyer, and getting involved as much is she has is definitely paving the way for her to achieve that goal. She is a hard-working individual and an excellent role model for goal-driven students at Western University as well as schools across the globe.
HC Quiz:
Guilty Pleasure: A well-made soy latte
Dream Job: That’s a tough one. Ideally I would like to be in a leadership role where I can work with others to solve complex problems and make a meaningful impact
City you could see yourself ending up in: Short term: New York City; Long Term: Vancouver
Best experience at Western so far: Definitely my involvement with extra-curricular activities, student council, clubs and volunteer programs in the Western community! As much as I love what happens in the classroom, it’s the community-based experiences that have been unforgettable.
Favourite professor you’ve had: Angela White
Person who inspires you most: Honestly, I’m most inspired by my peers. It’s seeing a great friend work on a cool startup or a classmate win a prestigious award that really inspires and motivates me to be the best that I can be.
3 things you can’t live without: You said things, not people so… Coffee, yoga, and my planner
People who know me well know that: I cannot successfully travel to a new place without getting lost.