Support for student success
Author: Development and Donor Relations
Posted on Feb 3, 2021
Category: Creating Opportunities for Students , Scholarships and Bursaries
New Brunswick is a long way from Bangladesh, but graduate student Mehedee Siddiquee says the research opportunities at UNB were a compelling reason to make the journey.
Mehedee is in his second year at UNB’s Fredericton campus, where he is engaged in research studying the recruitment and retention of immigrants to New Brunswick. He is writing a master’s dissertation on the subject, which is being carried out for the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation.
Mehedee’s research looks at the retention rate of newcomers in New Brunswick compared to elsewhere in Canada: “Immigrants come here to New Brunswick but after a couple of years here many move to other provinces. We are trying to find out why.”
At the end of his first semester last year, he received the Harold Burke Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to a student enrolled in a Masters or PhD program in Economics who has the potential to become an outstanding economist.
Mehedee said the scholarship came at the perfect time: “I had arrived from a different country and it was difficult for me to integrate into everything in my first semester. Getting the scholarship boosted my confidence. It was recognition, as well, of my hard work and encouragement to keep going. I am very grateful.”
A sports enthusiast, he enjoys swimming and playing cricket and badminton. In his rare spare time, he reads literature and books on economics.
Mehedee is enthusiastic about how researchers at UNB are applying their knowledge to make a difference at the local, provincial, or national level. He plans to continue doing economic research and says doctoral work is likely in his future.