In March 2020, Katherine Dolan had just started her final term of high school in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough and was weighing her options for post-secondary studies. Then the global pandemic hit, and for Katherine, as for countless other university-bound students, the future was suddenly far from clear. Overnight, complicated decisions around what school or program to choose became even more difficult – and very stressful.
With the traditional university experience disrupted by health protection measures, Katherine wondered if she should even enroll anywhere. She was eager to earn a degree, but maybe she should wait until on-campus studies were fully restored. Plus, there was the cost to consider: a university education was a significant investment for the teenager and her family, and she wanted to be certain she could bring her best to the challenge.
Fortunately, as she was wrestling with these uncertainties, a door of opportunity opened: Katherine was awarded the Scarborough Frank Faubert Scholarship for students entering their first year at University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC). Named for the community’s late mayor – remembered as a champion of the Rouge National Urban Park – the scholarship recognizes students from the region who demonstrate academic merit.
For Katherine, the good news was not only validating but resolved her dilemma: she quickly enrolled in the physical and environmental sciences co-op program at UTSC. “The scholarship alleviated my stress over whether I could afford the schooling necessary to pursue a career,” she says. “I know how competitive the employment market is, so this has made a real difference in my journey. Despite having lost two jobs because of the pandemic, I was able to enter first year confidently, focused on studying rather than wondering if going to university right now was the economically right decision.”
What attracted Katherine to UTSC? “I was impressed by how I could combine courses from different disciplines,” she says. Going forward, she plans to blend biochemistry and anthropology in her undergraduate studies while seeking work-term opportunities related to her deep interest in humanity’s past. Looking further down the road, she has her sights set on graduate school and hopes to combine practical fieldwork with curatorial studies or other activities grounded in history and anthropology.
For Katherine, a future that once felt so uncertain is now filled with promise. And the support that has made it possible was also a crucial vote of confidence: “Receiving this award provided me with great motivation and encouragement.”
Katherine’s scholarship is one of several awarded by UTSC in honour of long-time municipal and provincial politician Frank Faubert (1931–1999). The endowed gifts that support them are among more than 6,700 individual funds contained within the Endowment portfolio managed by UTAM.