Great Grads: Port Coquitlam grad wins huge scholarship to SFU

COQUITLAM (NEWS 1130) — Everyone has been dealing with a new reality lately, and the graduating class of 2020 is no different.

As part of an ongoing series, CityNews and NEWS 1130 are highlighting some Grade 12 students going through big life transitions without the usual celebrations.

Profiled this week, a Port Coquitlam graduate who earned a full scholarship to Simon Fraser University. On top of volunteering in his community, the 17-year-old also held two jobs to help pay family expenses.

“Grades were definitely important, but I feel like what really set me aside were the things I got involved in with my school community,” Parshan Pourbakht says. “I did everything from teaching little kids basketball at rec centers to waking up at five in the morning to catch two buses to make breakfast for students in our school system’s breakfast club.”

Pourbakht says throughout his four years at Terry Fox Secondary School, he worked a lot as a math tutor, as well as at a golf course.

The busy graduate also recently learned about his full scholarship to university.

“Just a week ago, I got the news that I managed to get a full ride to SFU – the university of my choice- which was amazing. You should have seen me, I was freaking out with my family,” he says.

His father, Morteza, says he was also elated to hear the news, and not only for the chance to save on tuition.

“But because I see that he’s actually going towards the right target, and that’s what makes me more proud,” he says.

After getting his degree, Pourbakht dreams of starting his own business.

“I want the company to be based around sustainability and building software that could help people around the world,” he says.