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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

Fred and Susan Dermarkar

Fred and Susan DermarkarThey gave Andrew Carlisle 200 hours-worth of time for study. Hours spent hitting the books, rather than days
juggling jobs to pay for his education.

That’s how Susan and Fred Dermarkar affected first-year Nuclear Engineering student Andrew, through the M. Georges Dermarkar Scholarship.

As a PhD candidate teaching undergraduate courses, Susan had seen first-hand how academic performance thrives when students can focus on their studies, rather than their part-time pay cheques. For her, creating a bursary was of the utomost importance so they could give a helping hand to those hard-working students who need it to complete their studies. Susan also wanted to establish a travel grant to provide access to students who want to participate and present at conferences.

"Networking at conferences, meeting and hearing important scholars in your field, it creates a real sense of enthusiasm and purpose," she said. 

Both Fred and Susan believe strong and deep foundations create the strongest buildings. By investing in students today, they contribute to the sustainability and prosperity of tomorrow. 

The Dermarkar family, like many of our donors, want their donation to affect students’ lives—directly. Through scholarships, bursaries and travel grants, the Dermarkars and other donors let students focus on their education; helping today’s high-performing student, become tomorrow’s citizen leader.

"An education is important for the success of all young people. It is also essential for the good of the country; an educated population makes for an open-minded and caring society.”
– Susan Dermarkar
Donor, M. Georges Dermarkar Scholarship
Dermarkar Family Bursary and Experiential Learning Awards