2 Surrey students receive $30,000 graduate scholarships
Published 4:00 pm Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Two Surrey graduates have been awarded with a $30,000 scholarship each from the Cmolik Foundation.
According to a release from the Cmolik Foundation, the two students who received the awards were Simrat Binning and Anna Niyosenga, both former students in Surrey.
Niyosenga is currently pursuing a Juris Doctor at the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Peter A. Allard School of Law while Binning is also at UBC pursuing a Doctor of Medicine degree.
The Cmolik Foundation said that this graduate scholarship recognizes exceptional students who demonstrate excellence, leadership, knowledge and creativity, as well as service to others.
Niyosenga shared with the Cmolik Foundation that this scholarship helps support her goal of making legal knowledge and advocacy more accessible to people who may otherwise face barriers navigating legal systems.
She explained that growing up she saw people in her community encounter difficult circumstances without always understanding their legal rights or options, experiences that helped inspire her to pursue law.
Niyosenga is now the Co-president of UBC’s Black Law Students’ Association, which is said to support Black law students through mentorship, academic and professional development, and connections with the legal professionals.
The Cmolik Foundation notes that Niyosenga has also developed and led the Rooted & Rising Great Lakes African Youth Summit this past summer, bringing together young people to explore identity, culture, education and career pathways.
“I know what it means to pursue a path without always having a roadmap or seeing people with similar experiences reflected in the places I hoped to reach,” she said in the release. “The summit gave me an opportunity to turn that experience into something tangible for the next generation.”
Binning told the Cmolik Foundation that she was similarly motivated by her experiences growing up in Surrey, where she witnessed family members struggle with mental health and addiction.
She shared those experiences are what shaped her goal of becoming a physician who provides accessible, culturally responsive care to underserved communities.
The Cmolik Foundation also shared that Binning is especially passionate about addressing stigma surrendering mental health and substance use in South Asian Communities.
Binning is also said to have co-founded a health initiative with peers to educate community members and challenge misconceptions about addiction, dementia, Parkinson’s disease and other health conditions.
“Providing effective healthcare is also about understanding the person, their community and culture, and the barriers that may prevent them from accessing care,” she said in the release.
As a first-generation medical student, Binning told the Cmolik Foundation she hopes her journey will encourage other young people to pursue opportunities that may initially seem out of reach.
“Not knowing how to get somewhere should not discourage you from believing that you belong there,” she said.
Both graduates said the scholarship represents more than financial support, reflecting a commitment to helping others and creating opportunities for future generations.
“Receiving this scholarship is both an affirmation of how far I have come and a reminder to keep sight of the bigger picture,” Niyosenga said in the release, adding that she hopes to open doors for those who follow her.
For more information about the Cmolik Foundation’s scholarships go to thecmolikfoundation.com.