This year Wheatland Tube, a division of Zekelman Industries, created a scholarship award to continue to support education and give back to the community. The Wheatland Scholastic Achievement and Giving Back to your Community Award is in recognition of the work and unwavering commitment of our Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Barry Zekelman to give back to our communities.

Wheatland Tube is proud to congratulate and present Maria George of Edmonton, Alberta with this year’s scholarship. Maria has gone above and beyond in her educational career and in her community. She has demonstrated her ability to be a leader amongst her peers and has given numerous presentations on women empowerment in STEM fields. She has given back to her community with her time and service by collecting gently used materials to be donated, Maria mentors younger students, and volunteers weekly at a hospital comforting dialysis patients. Maria is starting her second year at the University of Alberta, majoring in Electrical Engineering. Learn more about how she became interested in the electrical industry:

“My father works for an industrial gas supplier. He stresses the idea of hard work and thinking for the long-term in everything he does and is a role model for me. He constantly encourages me to prioritize my education despite his own busy schedule trying to make ends meet for my family while helping me realize how I can use my skills to better our community.

As a child, I remember how he would explain how his company provides power to other companies. I was amazed how we needed power for everything, but couldn’t see or feel it. This sparked a curiosity in me that continued throughout my education, and I discovered that power engineering was a field that I could dedicate myself to fully; passionately, creatively and wholeheartedly. The technical knowledge I gained from my degree combined with my inquisitive instincts would make a career in the power industry extremely fulfilling.” – Maria George

Maria has proved her leadership skills and excellence in her past endeavors and shows great potential for the future. In her own words, learn more about her career goals:

“During my school years, we always had one section in science that was dedicated to learning about renewable energy and the environment. The more we made projects and learned about it, the more I idealized green energy. In high school, I realized that renewable energy isn’t a viable option for many because of its cost and maintenance. Disappointed but optimistic for improvement, I decided I wanted to apply my competencies as an electrical engineer in the renewable energy field. My goal is to aid in developing solar energy generation to make it a realistic and efficient choice for the community.” – Maria George

Wheatland couldn’t be more excited to give this scholarship to such a worthy candidate! Maria has a bright future and we can’t wait to see where it will take her.

 

Read Maria’s thank you letter and video below.

“I am so honored to receive this scholarship from Electro-Federation Canada! I am incredibly grateful to both EFC and Wheatland Tube for providing this opportunity to engineering students like myself. By lightening the financial burden on me and my family, I can focus on my education and continue giving back to my community through volunteering. Moreover, I feel empowered to pursue my dream of furthering renewable energy efforts through an electrical engineering degree.” – Maria George

 

Learn more about EFC Scholarships: https://www.electrofed.com/about/2020-efc-scholarship-program/