Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation and Rideau Hall Foundation are committed to encouraging today’s learners to dream big, defy the odds and use innovation to make the impossible possible
TORONTO, ON
This year has been one like no other with plenty of changes for people around the world. While dealing with unexpected challenges and new opportunities, Canadians are finding ways to innovate, dream big and defy the odds. It’s becoming increasingly clear that rapid innovation will be the key to successfully navigating an ever-changing world, where world events will shape future careers, and critical skills are imperative. As we approach the end of an unprecedented year, the Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation (CST) is partnering with the Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF) to celebrate Canadian innovators making positive impacts locally and abroad.
As part of our ongoing commitment to education and innovation, CST and RHF are recognizing Canadian Innovation Week on November 16 – 20, with a 6-part video series that celebrates the achievements of past CST Graduate Award recipients, who are following in the footsteps of Governor General’s Innovation Award laureates focused on using innovation for social good. This group is called Inspired Innovators. “To successfully navigate our ever-changing world, future generations will need to be agile and adapt. Education provides the skills to make positive impacts through innovation. We are proud to celebrate the innovations of past award recipients and laureates who are enhancing everyday life with their work,” said Sherry MacDonald, President and CEO of CST Foundation.
In this rapidly evolving world, innovation and resilience will become even more important, with 46 per cent of students saying they feel supported for proposing new ideas and different ways of doing things, according to RHF’s 2020 Culture of Innovation report. “Canadian innovations have made enormous contributions to our country and our world. Innovating in ways that make people healthier, drive economic growth and build more sustainable environments will be critical to our success as a nation. Our partnership with CST even further promotes and encourages Canada’s culture of innovation,” said Teresa Marques, President and CEO of the Rideau Hall Foundation.
By combining innovation with key 21st century skills (creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, citizenship, communication, and character), each of the Inspired Innovators make a choice every day to push the envelope of understanding, biases, and beliefs:
- Dr. Garnette Sutherland and Hunster Yang use character to innovate better medical treatments.
- Dr Ron and Dr. Marianne Ignace, Audra Renyi, and Kristina Springer are innovating linguistics and translation through communication.
- Jad Saliba and Elizabeth Paradis are innovating with citizenship to improve social justice.
- Sweet Dreams and Grace Jin use critical thinking to innovate alternate solutions to systemic issues.
- Dr. Joelle Pineau and Zoe Clarke bring creativity to science innovation in health care and genetics.
- SmartICE, David Brown and Jacky Deng innovate to combat climate change and improve food security through collaboration.
CST and RHF are champions for education and innovation success. In 2020, CST provided nearly $140,000 to support education innovation at 30 organizations across Canada through its Inspired Minds Learning Project. CST also supports students and families achieve better access to post-secondary school, with more than $2 million in awards, scholarships and bursaries. Through the Governor General’s Innovation Awards, the RHF has recognized the outstanding contributions of 30 laureates who have made a meaningful impact on our lives since its inception in 2016. This year, RHF also developed online interactive modules of their Education for Innovation resources to boost learning activities for children and youth in K-12. The E4I Resources are available through D2L’s LMS, Brightspace and help teach innovation mindsets and skills in the classroom and through distance learning.
Together, we’re encouraging Canadians to promote education and innovation, and we’re asking you to do the same by liking and sharing our social posts on @CSTConsultants, @cstspark, @RideauHallFdn and @Cdn_Innovation during Canadian Innovation Week.
For further information, please contact: Cheryl Holmes, Public Relations and Brand Lead, [email protected]
Founded in 1960, the Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation is a not-for-profit foundation dedicated to helping Canadian families better access post-secondary education. Through philanthropy, discovery, advocacy and by sponsoring the Canadian Scholarship Trust Plans to help families save for post-secondary education, CST continues to deliver on its mission. In addition to its focus on education savings, the Foundation rewards hard working and community minded Canadian students and communities through scholarships, bursaries and awards programs, and its Inspired Minds Program. CST has helped nearly 800,000 students achieve their post-secondary dreams.
The Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation and its subsidiaries (CST Spark Inc. and CST Consultants Inc.) operate under the Masterbrand name CST. For more information, visit foundation.cst.org.
The Rideau Hall Foundation is an independent and non-political charitable organization established to mobilize ideas, people, and resources across the country to tap into our national spirit and help realize our shared aspirations. The RHF works closely with many partners, including the Office of the Governor General, to connect, honour, and inspire Canadians across four key programmatic areas, including: (1) learning initiatives that strive for excellence and promote equality of opportunity; (2) strengthening Canada’s culture of innovation, (3) widening the circle of giving and volunteering; and (4) building and celebrating excellence in Canadian leadership, and increasing public awareness about and commitment to Canada’s multi-faceted democracy.