Faculty: Applied Science
Program: Geological Engineering
Year: 2017
Country: Uganda
Actively creating opportunities for herself, she joined Mt. St. Mary’s Namagunga School for her Advanced Levels on a two-year bursary that recognized her exceptional academic performance in her Ordinary Levels. She has achieved numerous awards in a variety of subjects, in particular she demonstrates strengths in mathematics as she received first place in the National Mathematics Contest in 2013.
Concerned about the issues of education especially for young girls, since completing her A-Levels in 2014, Arlena has been involved volunteering at Support Girl Child Education Foundation helping to support and mentor young girls to continue their education. As the first girl to have completed her Advanced Levels successfully from her village, she works as a motivational speaker and as a role-model to inspire youth in her rural village. Through studying engineering at UBC, she hopes to improve and innovate the bridge and dam construction in Uganda. She envisions that her degree will allow her to explore the opportunities to encourage extension of clean water in the rural areas through advanced water treatment and water supply and distribution measures.