Like many newcomers to Canada, Hussein Al Ali is making the most of the opportunities available to him in his new home in New Brunswick.
Hussein, 20, a third-year student in the bachelor of health in biomedical sciences at UNB Saint John, moved to the province with his family in 2016. They arrived from Lebanon, where the family had fled following the political upheaval and civil war in their native Syria.
Hussein, who wants to be a physician, is the recipient of the Johnson Undergraduate Opportunity Bursary, made possible by the Johnson Scholarship Foundation. It is awarded on the basis of financial need to students enrolled in an undergraduate degree program on a full-time basis.
Hussein, like all recipients, participated in the UNB Saint John Promise Partnership program in order to qualify. The program helps kids in poorer neighbourhoods by giving them educational help offered by UNB student volunteers.
“The partnership program was awesome,” Hussein says, adding he was involved in the program throughout high school and then as a volunteer himself once he was in university.
“If there was something I didn’t understand in school, I would go to [the UNB volunteers] and they would sit me down with a tutor and they’d teach me. It was fantastic help and made a big difference in my studies.”
It’s difficult to tell that just eight years ago, when the Al Ali family arrived in New Brunswick, Hussein could not speak English. He is now completely fluent, but the adjustment has not been easy for the family.
“It was a big adjustment. It was moving into a whole different world because, first of all, we didn’t know the language or the people. There were no guarantees — it could have been good or it could have been bad, but thankfully, it has been a very good experience. We are very thankful.”
Hussein says the $10,000 annual bursary has helped enormously in making his dreams come true. He hopes to begin medical school next year and, at this point, is considering becoming a general practitioner.
“It’s unimaginable how much support a bursary or a scholarship gives a student knowing they don’t have to focus on getting money. I can focus on my studies without that worry. It lifts a huge weight off my shoulders. It’s a blessing.”
