Every year, through the RAC Foundation, Radio Amateurs of Canada provides grants and scholarships to worthy community programs and to young Amateurs who are enrolled at the post-secondary level in Electrical, Electronic and Software engineering. Students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs are also considered on a case by case basis.
Once again, we are pleased to announce the granting of three scholarships of $500 each to three Canadian Amateurs who are studying in Electrical Engineering programs in Canadian universities.
The first recipient is Aaron Younan, VA3AZY, who is studying at the University of Windsor. When Aaron found out he was receiving a scholarship he said: “Thank you so much! This means a lot to me and I appreciate everything RAC has done for me. I hope one day to be in a position to pay it forward.” Aaron is working on Software Defined Radios and other wireless-based projects as part of his studies.
The second recipient is Trent Mitchell, VE9EN, who is studying at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) in Fredericton. The UNB has a very active Amateur Radio group under the mentorship of Dr. Brent Petersen, VE9EX and associates. You can watch Trent make his first QSO with the International Repeater Group in February 2016 and as a bonus you get a pretty good description of how a repeater operates. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET8hutBtVqQ
The third recipient is Louis Harris, VA2LDH, who is studying Electrical Engineering at the Fondation de Polytechnique in Montreal. Louis said: “I like knowing how stuff works and to build, design and repair all types of devices. I intend to specialize in electronics or telecommunications. This passion for electronics is what pushed me into obtaining my Amateur certificate.”
It’s gratifying to think that a radio you may be using in the future could be designed by a Canadian Amateur who was helped by your or your club’s donation to the RAC Scholarship and Grants Program today. We need Amateurs like you who are willing to donate to the RAC Foundation to continue supporting future Engineers and young people at the post-secondary level who are studying in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
RAC operates the RAC Foundation in cooperation with the Community Foundation of Ottawa (CFO) which administers and invests the donated funds and disburses the earnings from those invested funds to grant applicants, based upon the advice of the RAC Board. All grant applications should be submitted to the RAC Foundation for processing and recommendation.
In addition to the Scholarship and Grants Program RAC also has a Youth Education Program (YEP). For more information visit: https://www.rac.ca/youth-education-program/
If you wish to donate or require further information about the RAC Scholarships and Grants Program, please visit https://www.rac.ca/grant-information/ or contact me at .
On behalf of Aaron, Trent and Louis, thank you for your continued support of this program.
Bill Unger, VE3XT
RAC Scholarship Coordinator
Brian Jackson, VE6JBJ
RAC Youth Education Program Chair