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First-year Schulich School of Business student Mehwish Imran sat down for a video-taped interview with York University's marketing team recently, which she initially thought was part of a recruitment initiative. Instead, she was thrilled to learn that her name had been randomly selected from 3,000 entries to win free first-year tuition – a win that she said will drive her to excel in her studies.
"It's a privilege and I'm extremely grateful for it," said Imran of her tuition win. "Even though I was prepared to do my best in school this year, winning free tuition is definitely motivation to work even harder."
The Bachelor of Business Administration student, who said she was most looking forward to making friends and connecting with her professors this year, was born in Pakistan and immigrated to Mississauga, Ont., in 2014, when she was just nine years old. Leaving her extended family behind was difficult, she said, but her adjustment to Canadian life was smooth and pleasant overall.
Since she was a child, Imran excelled at math, and in high school she pursued her business interests by getting involved in clubs like the Model United Nations and attending DECA student leadership conferences. "I think that's where my passion for business really came from," she explained.
Imran chose Schulich for her post-secondary studies because of its international reputation, specialization offerings and tight-knit community environment. "It also has an amazing recruitment network, especially focused on accounting," she said, "which is what I'm planning to further specialize in."
After completing her undergraduate degree, Imran currently has her sights set on pursuing her Certified Public Accountant designation or continuing on to law school – but she's reserving the right to change her mind.