CPAC Education Day 2014 Successfully Held: Connect students to better education

TORONTO, October 25, 2014 – The Chinese Professionals Association of Canada (CPAC) and the Education Foundation of CPAC held the 7th CPAC Education Day at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel in Richmond Hill successfully today. With over 40 educational institutions participating, one keynote presentation and 8 info-packed seminars, the event attracted more than one thousand students and their family members from the immigrant community in the GTA.

As the largest education event in Toronto’s immigrant community, CPAC Education Day is aimed at providing information about the Canadian education system and its available services for newcomers and their family members. “At the Foundation, we believe education to be the key to a successful and prosperous future. Choices made today dictate the outcomes of tomorrow, and we are proud to say that since its inception in 2008, Education Day has provided over 10,000 students and parents with practical and valuable information in helping them make their choices.” said Mr. Richard Lim, President of the Education Foundation of CPAC, in his welcome address at the opening ceremony.

The CPAC Education Day is a conference and exhibition in one. Over forty colleges and universities and education related service providers attended this year’s event, giving the audience ample opportunities for face-to-face communication about everything they want to know about Canadian education. The University of Toronto, York University, Wilfrid Laurier University, Trent University, Lakehead University, University of Guelph, University of Windsor, George Brown College, Centennial College, Seneca College and other private middle schools, student associations and career service providers participated in the program .

One of the highlights of the event was the keynote presentation. This year’s keynote speaker was a second-year Harvard student Chloe Y. Li. She shared her experience and thoughts with a presentation entitled “Know Thyself: Connecting Self-Knowledge and Success.” Miss Li is currently studying Neurobiology and the Classics at Harvard. “Just as it is much easier to take others’ advice than to make your own decisions, it is much easier to strive to be the image of perfection someone else created for you instead of working to develop your own values, ideals, and goals. Asking the right questions about yourself leads you to think for yourself, and it is this quality that will not only help you go to university, but also find meaning in what you choose to do,” Chloe said in her presentation. Her father, a high school teacher with the Toronto District School Board, joined her on stage in the Q & A session to share his thoughts as a father and a teacher in mandarin.

Following the keynote presentation were eight workshops in two breakout sessions, along with a full-day “drop-in” student forum hosted by post-secondary students to provide information and answer any questions about applying for and life at universities and colleges.

Catering to the increasing interest in continuing education, this year’s Education Day also included workshops and a number of career colleges to provide information to mature students seeking a second career or upgrading their skills.

The CPAC Education Day had been made possible by a generous donation from HSBC Bank Canada, the event’s presenting sponsor, which has been sponsoring the event since its inception in 2008.

Founded in 1999, the Education Foundation of CPAC is a registered charity that promotes excellence in education and provides scholarships and awards to secondary and post-secondary students who have demonstrated exceptional community leadership as well as outstanding academic achievements. The Foundation also provides assistance to students who have maintained above-average grades and have financial difficulties. Application for the 2014 scholarships, awards and bursaries is currently open till December 15th, 2014. Details of application are available at www.cpac-ef.ca.

Caption:

Group Photo at the opening ceremony of the 7th Education Day

From left: Mr. Raymond Wu, Branch Manager, HSBC; Miss Chloe Y. Li, Keynote speaker of the 7th CPAC Education Day; Mr. Richard Lim, President of Education Foundation of CPAC; Mr. David Kuo, Head of Branch Network – Ontario, HSBC

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