Your support fuels a generation of students who are strengthening mental wellbeing, reducing barriers and shaping stronger, more connected communities. These stories highlight just a few of the many students who are turning donor generosity into resilience and meaningful impact.

For Master of Public Health student Ogechi Anumba, her grandmother’s experience in the school and health systems shaped her sense of purpose.

“My grandmother had to drop out of school in elementary years after being given polio through vaccine experimentation on Indigenous children,” Ogechi explains. “One of her legs was left totally unusable.”

Understanding how this legacy shaped her family—and the deep mistrust created over generations—clarified Ogechi’s own path.

“Knowing that her story was only one of countless others, I knew what I had to do. I want to reclaim education to uplift my people and help create the healthcare change our communities deserve.”

Growing up in the lower mainland, raised by a single mother, Ogechi always knew that pursuing higher education would require determination and sacrifice. “If I wanted to pursue higher education, I had to do it on my own,” she says—a feeling rooted not in a lack of support, but in watching her mother work tirelessly to build a safer future for them both.

Now the first in her family to earn a bachelor’s degree—and soon a master’s—Ogechi’s journey reflects how donor support doesn’t just open doors. It restores the ability to dream, to lead, and to imagine a future grounded in equity and care.

Commerce student Tommy Wagner describes his Centennial Scholars Award as a turning point in both his education and his mental health.

“This scholarship didn’t just fund me—it freed me,” he says. “Instead of choosing opportunities based on what I could afford, I could choose what inspired me.”

Returning to UBC after taking time away for his mental wellbeing, Tommy approached campus life differently: “Every day, I pushed myself to do one thing outside my comfort zone. That decision changed everything.”

The result has been a deep sense of belonging.

“I finally felt seen for who I am and who I want to become,” he says.

Through creative work, mentoring and campus involvement, Tommy now helps other students build connection and confidence.

“Growth flourishes when someone gives you the chance to try.”

For Ashki Shkur, in her fourth year of science, donor support represented something even more profound: safety, dignity and a second chance at an education she once believed was lost forever.

“I’ll be the first person in my family to go to university,” says Ashki. “Both my parents dropped out in grade six because of having to work—so now, it’s amazing to see them so excited for me.”

With the stability her award provided, Ashki found her footing at UBC.

“For the first time, I feel the joy of learning without worrying about financial barriers,” she explains.

Her research on autoimmune disease and ADHD is matched by her commitment to outreach and mentorship.

“I want to break down the barriers that once limited me,” she says. “When someone believes in your potential, it can rewrite the direction of your life.”

Through advising, tutoring and educational outreach, Ashki now ensures that younger students—especially those facing systemic obstacles—know they belong in spaces where they were once excluded.

At UBC Okanagan, psychology student Michael Young has rebuilt his life following tragedy and a long battle with addiction. His recovery was built around three pillars—connection, community and support—that he is now using to help others facing similar challenges.

“These awards gave me the most precious gift—time,” he says. “Time to study, time to serve, and time to build spaces where others can belong.”

Michael’s lived experience informs everything he does, from volunteering with PICNIC’s campus wellness meals to founding Reduction & Recovery: Mocktail Meetups, an all-pathways recovery group for students and staff.

“It’s a crazy thing to feel alone in a room full of people,” Michael reflects. “Service helped me reconnect. Community isn’t something you stumble into—it’s something you build.”

Today, he hopes to pursue graduate studies focused on addiction, trauma and recovery, using every part of his journey to help students feel seen, supported and valued.

These students are just a few of the many voices showing how donor support moves mental wellbeing forward—building resilience, fostering leadership and strengthening the communities our students will soon serve.