鈥淵ou are capable of anything,鈥� is a message Zoshia Fraser broadcasts proudly.
Growing up on a small, family-run dairy farm in Belnan, Nova Scotia, Zoshia is no stranger to hard work.
鈥淚n grade one I was diagnosed with a learning disability,鈥� Zoshia explains. 鈥淢y parents were told I wouldn鈥檛 be able to go into academia and to prepare me for the working world. I鈥檝e had to work twice as hard as other students to get the same mark but I knew I could do it.鈥�
Upon entering the Faculty of Agriculture she was awarded one of the Faculty鈥檚 top renewable scholarships, the Atlantic Scholar Award. The scholarship recognizes academic excellence and a commitment to community through extracurricular activities. She is now graduating with a Bachelor of Science (Agriculture), with a major in Animal Science and has come this far through a lot of hard work and determination.
The campus community has become Zoshia鈥檚 second family over the years. 鈥淚 finally found my place. I never really fit in before, then I came here and I fit right in. I met friends I know I鈥檒l have for the rest of my life.鈥�
For the last four years, Zoshia has been co-chair of the Agricultural Campus chapter of World University Services Canada (WUSC) a non-profit organization that helps bring refugees to Canada to attend university. 聽
鈥淵ou get to see the difference you鈥檝e made in someone鈥檚 life every day,鈥� says Zoshia. 鈥淵ou get to hear the refugee鈥檚 story and know the effect you鈥檝e had and that you were a part of the opportunity they have been given. Without the WUSC team they wouldn鈥檛 have the opportunity.鈥�
Following convocation, Zoshia will be heading to Saint Mary鈥檚 University to begin her master鈥檚 degree in Applied Science, where she will be researching red clover isoflavones.
The article is part of a series of profiles on members of the Class of 2016. . takes place May 13 in Truro and from May 30 to June 4 in Halifax.