Neuroscience Student Grace Harding Wins Dr. and Mrs. Roderick Hunter Scholarship

Thu. Mar. 28, 2024

Third-year neuroscience student Grace Harding is often awake far earlier than her university peers. A passionate rower during the warmer months, she wakes up at 5am ready to head out onto the Red River with her teammates for practice before heading to class later in the day.

A member of the Students of Science Association (SOSA) and one of this year’s Dr. and Mrs. Roderick Hunter Scholarship winners, Grace looks back on her undergraduate career fondly as she prepares to graduate in the coming months. “UWinnipeg has been great to me these past three years,” says Grace. “My professors are invested in my education, and I’ve been able to meet so many amazing people as part of my role as Social Media Manager for the Students of Science Association.”

Grace notes that much of the support and academic guidance she received from staff members and her classmates in the science community helped her secure scholarships and build connections outside of the classroom, “I’ve spent much of my senior year here trying to give back to a community that has helped me find my own success. Organizing seminars, coordinating student events, and making sure that new students have the opportunity to network with professionals across our campus is truly rewarding.”

When asked her thoughts on receiving the Dr. and Mrs. Roderick Hunter Scholarship, Grace says that, “From what I have learned about Dr. Hunter and his wife Doris is that the pair truly valued contributing to and giving back to the communities you find yourself a part of. This is something I’ve taken to heart over the years and tried to incorporate in my own life both on and off campus—whether it be helping students in SOSA navigate UWinnipeg, becoming a camp counselor at the same summer camp I went to as a kid, or becoming a swim instructor for the same swim school that taught me how to swim when I was young. I feel truly honored to be recognized for my leadership, academic performance, and for sharing the same qualities that Dr. Rodrick valued during his lifetime.”

After graduating in June, Grace hopes to take her talents to either the University of Manitoba or University of British Columbia to continue her education in medical school. “I want to find a career that I am really passionate about. The beauty of medicine is that there is something for everyone, so I hope to use medical school to explore my options. I don’t like things that are too easy, so my ideal job would let me problem solve and challenge my skills!” After finishing medical school, Grace plans to continue working in Manitoba as a physician—and continue her training as a rower well into the future.