Keerthana Chockalingam: Volunteer of the Month for April 2022

“Hi, my name is Keerthana Chockalingam. I’m currently a second-year Health Science student at the University of Calgary where I’m majoring in Bioinformatics. Having come from the roots of India, I am a first-generation immigrant to move to Canada from Dubai, where I spent over 10 years of my childhood. My parents’ decision to move to Canada in search of a better lifestyle to help support me and my two siblings may be one of the bravest decisions yet made. With no familiarity with this place, they made the move to immigrate to Canada, for which I’m extremely thankful. Here in Canada, I am offered numerous opportunities to better improve and create an impactful difference in society. Apart from my meaningful volunteer commitments including CBFY, I currently work as a part-time Pharmacy Assistant alongside working in the medical research field where I’m not only able to help advance scientific knowledge in the realm of pediatrics but am also able to interact with and help patients on a day-to-day basis. Watching my parents constantly work hard by putting their best efforts into what they do has sparked my interest to likewise, work hard, challenge myself, and strive to achieve the best at all times.

I have been volunteering as a middle and high school virtual tutor with Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth since 2021 where I have been given the opportunity to work with numerous children struggling to understand the material in school. Having experienced firsthand what it’s like to be a low-income immigrant when I first moved to Canada, I aim to provide a safe and comfortable environment for immigrant and refugee children to talk about any struggles they may be facing or fears that they might have, especially in an unknown and new, yet exciting, world away from home. Volunteering with this organization has not only allowed me to help many children around Calgary learn but also provided me with various important life lessons that have helped shape the person I am today. I am extremely grateful to be a part of the CBFY community and look forward to many more fruitful moments” Keerthana Chockalingam!