Year Two for first recipient of prestigious Lady Vi Aitken Scholarship
Author: Development and Donor Relations
Posted on Oct 6, 2023
Category: News and Events , Tribute Gifts , Scholarships and Bursaries
UNB is a long way from home for Arushi Sabnis.
Now in her second year of the bachelor of science in engineering (mechanical) program on the Fredericton campus, Arushi is the inaugural recipient of the Lady Vi Aitken Scholarship, supported through a $1 million commitment from the Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation.
Lady Vi Scholars come to UNB from around the world. They complement UNB’s existing community of over 1,000 Beaverbrook Scholars, joining a broader community of leadership and academic excellence. One renewable award, valued at $40,000 over four years, is granted each year.
The Lady Vi Aitken Scholarship honours the legacy of Lady Violet Aitken (LLD’90), who served as chancellor from 1982 to 1992 and as chancellor emerita thereafter. “Lady Vi,” as she was known, was the third member of the Aitken family to hold the chancellorship, travelling from her home in England several times each year to participate in UNB events. For decades, Lady Vi provided leadership and wise counsel and served as New Brunswick’s most prominent and persuasive international ambassador.
Born in Mumbai, India, and raised in Bahrain, inaugural Lady Vi Scholar Arushi has thrived at UNB since her arrival in 2022. She is involved with campus clubs and activities, including GoENGGirl, Diversity Within Engineering and the Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS). She represented UNB as a delegate at the 2023 annual general meeting of the Atlantic Council of Engineering Students and is the junior editor-in-chief of the Atlantic Student Research Journal.
Arushi is excited to pursue a future in the aerospace industry, a dream that dates back to her childhood. She recounted how one of her engineering professors told her class about research that struck a chord with her: “the things you enjoy from the ages of seven to 12 are things you will enjoy for the rest of your life,” she said. For Arushi, that source of joy was space. “When I was seven I wanted to be an astronaut,” she said. “So, my first-ever dream career was space related, and now, here I am, back to space.”
Those dreams are closer to reality thanks to UNB and the Lady Vi Aitken Scholarship. “Being able to afford international tuition was only possible because I got this scholarship,” Arushi said.