GSA Scholarship Fundraiser

The Greek Students' Association at the University of Toronto is pleased to announce that it has begun a scholarship fund to support its two annual scholarships: the Andrea Christidis Memorial Scholarship and the Maria Vernezos Memorial Scholarship. Our goal is to reward students of Hellenic descent for their dedication to their communities and support them with the costs associated with post-secondary education. We hope that you can support us in funding these scholarships for the 2021-2022 academic year and to create a foundation for years to come! To read more about the two scholarships please see below.

The Andrea Christidis Memorial Scholarship




Pictured: Andrea Christidis

Andrea Christidis was a bright-eyed first-year student at the University of Western Ontario studying Health Sciences with plans to pursue a career in the medical field. She tragically passed away due to a drunk driving incident while she was walking home from a study lab. Andrea will forever be remembered as an intelligent, beautiful, and wonderful person who was adored by her friends and family. Her life was filled with her passion for reading, traveling, her love of soccer, skiing, swimming, and the arts. Andrea was heavily involved with the St.Demetrios Greek Youth Community here in Toronto and had a tight-knit group of friends and an extremely close bond to her extended family. This scholarship is named after Andrea in honor of her dedication to academics, her family, and her community involvement. 

 

The Maria Vernezos Memorial Scholarship

 

 

Pictured: Maria Vernezos

 

Maria Vernezos attended the University of Toronto, Saint George campus, double majoring in Environmental Sciences and Philosophy with hopes of becoming a successful lawyer. Maria suddenly passed away on Thursday, May 27, 2021, after finishing her second year of University. Those blessed enough to know her knew she carried herself with kindness, strength, selflessness, and intelligence.

 

Maria celebrated her Greek culture by attending Greek school and dance, where she impacted many other Greek youth she met along the way. Maria’s love and care for her family is an aspect of life that she valued more than anything. She wanted nothing more than to make her parents proud, her siblings happy, and her friends feel valued. She was very patriotic and had a love for her Greek heritage. Maria’s favourite place to eat was her γιαγια’s kitchen and loved the traditional greek dishes and stories her grandmother would share with her. She loved travelling to Greece with her family and visiting the beautiful beaches of Mani, which she called her favourite place in the world.

 

From a young age, Maria selflessly volunteered to help children with special needs. She was wise beyond her years and had a natural instinct to help those who needed her. Maria continued on this path and decided to open up a small business to tutor children. She was an advocate for social injustices and believed in true equality and fairness. She believed that in her lifetime we could achieve change and true equality. Maria was selfless, strong, relentless, brave, and always stood her ground. She was always willing to lend a helping hand, be a strong-silent listener, and a good friend. Maria never failed to put anyone before herself, leaving a mark on the hearts of everyone that knew her. Her selflessness was shown through the bonds she created with the people around her.

 

This scholarship will be awarded to a non-first-year University of Toronto undergraduate student of Hellenic descent who has actively participated in the GSA and has been involved in activities related to their discipline. This award will be presented to a candidate who embodies excellence as Maria Vernezos did. Priority will be given to students with financial need. The amount of this scholarship is $1000, applications will be reviewed by three former Presidents of the Greek Students’ Association the executive council will have no influence over the selection process.

 

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