Sanika Rewankar '22 Recruiting Profile

The world of science is amazing, and the world of micro science is even more so. University is the first step for me to become a scientist, and research microorganisms, genetics, and other subjects. I find it amazing that billions of years ago I was a small, brainless bacteria. Now, here I am, researching them!

The day I learned about Mycelium was the day I knew that the organisms we cannot see as humans are much more interesting than the organisms we can. It started with Fungi. Gr.12 English, I wrote a 7 page essay on how Fungi can save the world. The research for this essay was so deep rooted in microbiology that everytime I wash my hands, I think of the bacteria that I am washing away. But that’s not all. 

On a whim, I applied for the FIRST Robotics team at my school. My previously developed interest in technology along with my new found passion in Microbiology and all things small have led me to my decisions as to what I want to study at University to develop a base and hopefully one day help revive the planet to what it was before global warming. 

And ya, when I am not looking at Fungi or developing some program, I do play a lotttt of Hockey! Ice hockey and Indoor Field hockey in Winter, and Outdoor Field hockey all year round. 

I started playing field hockey when I was 7 years old - my brother, who is now on the junior national team, used to make me defend against him when he practiced in our basement. A holistic sport such as field hockey has provided much value in my life. It gave me an opportunity to stay fit and make lifelong friends, but more than anything else it forced me to learn how to efficiently manage my time between school and sports. 

I am the only girl from my community who has been involved in sports. I had to learn how to make friends from different kinds of cultures and backgrounds, to learn and share with them. I learned the importance of having a good work ethic - grinding through sweat and tears not only helped me to become a better athlete, but also a better person. It helped me ask the question, “what am I doing today that will allow me and my teammates to have a better tomorrow?”

My dad’s recent passing made me realize how many rich experiences I was fortunate to have with him because of this sport. We spent so much time on the road together and I am glad he went against cultural norms and allowed me to play sports. Now that he is not here, the memories I got to share with him and the moments he was proud of me just giving my best are all so much more precious. It is the moments when he gave me a thumbs up that made me realize how lucky I was to call myself an athlete.

Field hockey has taught me to think beyond myself and for the team. It has taught me how to handle conflicts, how to handle pressure and how to keep calm to make the right decisions in the most stressful moments of the game. When I think of ‘University’, it comes hand in hand with field hockey.

I was one of the very few lucky girls from my community who had parents encouraging me as a female in sports and spending all that time and money so I could excel and pursue my passion. My goal in the future is also to be a role model to all those girls like me and show them that they can do it too - that we can be successful in both school and sports if we put our mind and bodies to it. 

As an athlete, I am respectful and as a student, I am always willing to learn. I have developed some strong skills over the years but I know there is so much more to explore and grasp. I aspire to continue playing at college level and hopefully represent Canada on international platforms in parallel to pursuing my dream of becoming a scientist one day.