Tamkin is a 2022 alum of Pathways Scarborough Village. She recently won the 43 Division Community Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) Game Changing Scholarship—a $7,500 award that Pathways staff recommended she apply to. Tamkin will begin a Bachelor of Science at the University of Toronto in the fall and plans to pursue a career in the medical field.
When the pandemic started, Tamkin had been in the Pathways Program for over two years and had excellent marks at school. She felt isolated during lockdowns, but still managed to stay in touch with others through the program—and even had some useful career conversations. “There was a nurse I met online through Pathways, and I had the chance to ask her about the medical field,” Tamkin recalls. “I thought it was cool to meet someone in the field who’s like me, someone from a diverse background who also had problems growing up. It gave me hope.”
Tamkin was feeling optimistic about her future. But as pandemic restrictions began to ease, things took a turn. Significant challenges at home meant Tamkin had to spend more time taking care of her siblings. At school, she struggled with mathematical concepts she had missed out on during online learning.
The first thing Tamkin did was connect with Pathways tutors to get help and make up for what she had missed out on during online class. Then, she told the program staff members about what was going on in her life, and they made sure to keep checking in with her. “Pathways was always there for me, and they even encouraged me to apply for a scholarship despite everything I was going through,” Tamkin explains. “I feel like without Pathways, I wouldn’t actually be going to university in the fall.”
Tamkin did in fact end up applying—and getting in—to university. She’ll be starting a Bachelor of Science at the University of Toronto in the fall and looks forward to discovering new classes that will help her decide between a human biology and neuroscience major. The best part is that her first year of studies will be covered by the 43 Division Community Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) Game Changing Scholarship. The $7,500 prize, which rewards promising students with outstanding community involvement, is the very award that Pathways staff recommended she apply for in her final year.
Looking back, Tamkin is grateful that Pathways staff helped her get through this difficult time and told her about the CPLC scholarship. But when asked about why Pathways matters, this Scarborough Village alum is still quick to point to the bigger picture. “Many low-income families live here in Scarborough Village and can’t afford to pay for public transportation to get their children to school,” Tamkin shares. “I think it’s really amazing to have a program like Pathways here in Scarborough. It’s such an important starting point for everything that comes after.”
Pathways alumni are making a positive impact in their communities every day.
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