Meray Arnouk

Meray has a Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Tishreen University in Syria. Her passion for helping others motivated her to volunteer with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent for five years where she held many positions (health educator, paramedic, team lead of a paramedic team, and first aid instructor). Meray left Syria in December 2019 to pursue her dream of a master’s degree in nutrition at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Her research focused on the social determinants of health in rural Ghana (West Africa). She had the privilege to live in rural Ghana in a research center for two months where she collected qualitative data about the locals’ perspective on overweight and obesity. Pursuing a master’s degree abroad was possible thanks to the 100 Syrian Women scholarship that she won from Jusoor organization. Meray volunteered with Jusoor as a member of the McGill scholarship selection committee and advocated for Jusoor’s mission by talking at different conferences about how the scholarship helped her better her life. Meray wished to contribute to the cause of equity to access to education, hence she nominated herself to be the Co-Chair of a McGill Club “WUSC McGill” (a volunteer position). The club administers scholarships to refugees coming from different countries including Syrians and admits them to McGill University to pursue their education. During her role, the club increased the scholarship positions from 3 to 5 people sponsored a year. Meray is receiving her master’s degree in February 2023, and she is excited for a career that allows her to contribute to bigger causes.