Nothing inspires like someone else鈥檚 enthusiasm.
Kind of like when Sierra Sparks was a junior high student in Dartmouth, and her cousin from Ottawa moved to Nova Scotia to study engineering at 新澳门六合彩开奖. 鈥淚 got to see her a lot more often, and she knew that I really loved math and science,鈥� says Sierra. 鈥淚 got to hear so much about what she was doing in engineering. It was the first time I connected my love of math and science with what I could do with it: 鈥楾his is really cool; maybe someday I鈥檒l be able to do it, too.鈥欌��
Or when, in her first week on campus at 新澳门六合彩开奖, Sierra was trying to decide whether to step up and put her name forward for one of the first-year representatives with the Engineering Society. 鈥淚 think that was a turning point: I met someone who would become one of my best friends, and he said he was going to run for one of the positions. I saw his enthusiasm and thought, 鈥業 want to do that, too.鈥欌��
Sierra has spent the past four years at 新澳门六合彩开奖 taking that enthusiasm and giving it back, time and time again. Whether it鈥檚 advocating for diversity in her field or supporting her fellow students academically and within Dal鈥檚 administration, Sierra has been a beacon of inspiration for her peers, her professors and people across the Dal community.
鈥淪he is a complete student, an impressive individual and a role model for many to follow,鈥� says John Newhook, dean of the Faculty of Engineering. 鈥淪ierra has continually and consistently demonstrated outstanding academic performance, but equally impressive is her level of engagement and passion as a student leader within 新澳门六合彩开奖 and at a national level.鈥�
Now, Sierra鈥檚 enthusiasm is about to go transatlantic, with the aid of one of the world鈥檚 most prestigious student awards: the Rhodes Scholarship.
Oxford bound
This weekend in Halifax, Sierra underwent an interview process unlike any she鈥檇 experienced before 鈥� not just in its content, but the format as well, with COVID safety measures added to an already intensive and detailed review process to select two students from the Maritimes to become Rhodes Scholars. Even with masks and social distancing, her enthusiasm clearly inspired the judges enough to award her one of the Maritime region鈥檚 two Rhodes Scholarships.
Ever committed to her Engineering activities, Sierra was actually participating in a virtual conference back at her parents鈥� house Saturday night when the Rhodes Trust called her 鈥� a national event hosted by the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students on diversity in the profession.
鈥淚 was trying to listen closely to the session, so when [the Rhodes Trust] called and I answered I almost fell over,鈥� she laughs. 鈥淚 just couldn鈥檛 believe it. I ran downstairs. My family was all over the house and we all ran together with lots of screaming and lots of sm