From the hockey rink to the dentistry chair, former Battlefords AAA Stars captain Nate Monchuk is ready for the next chapter.
The Battleford product recently received a $1,000 scholarship from Sask Hockey, to go towards his pursuit of a Bachelor’s Degree in Dental Surgery, approximately half-way across the world at James Cook University in Cairns, Australia.
Monchuk was the AAA Stars’ Grade 12 nominee for the scholarship, and told battlefordsNOW what it means to him, as he pursues his dream in the dental industry.
“Obviously it’s a huge honour to be getting that scholarship and I was lucky enough this year to have an organization that believed in me,” Monchuk said. “They knew I had good marks in school, and I was very blessed and fortunate that they put me up [as a nominee] for this scholarship and very happy to have won it.”
A recent graduate of North Battleford Comprehensive High School as part of the Class of ’22 in the spring, Monchuk credits his passion for dentistry to his mentor and close friend of the family, Dr. Stacie Churchill.
“I’m lucky enough to have a great mentor here in Dr. Stacy, and I’ve been working with her for about seven months now,” Monchuk said, adding that it was her who initially told him about the opportunity in Cairns.
“Since Grade 10 she’s told me about the Australia opportunity, so I’ve been working hard in school and put in my application and I was lucky enough to be one of the 11 people from Canada selected to go down there for the Dental Surgery program, so I’m very blessed and excited,” he said.
Outside the classroom, Monchuk is also very much looking forward to the new experience culturally that also comes with the move.
“It’ll be a completely new experience and I’m super excited,” he said, letting out an audible smile. “I mean it’s going to be plus-30 weather there basically every day with beaches and kangaroos there like our deer, so it’s going to be quite a bit different, but I’m super excited for the culture change.”
“I’m really excited about my future; I’m excited to get down there and start the program.” – Nate Monchuk on moving to Australia to study Dental Surgery.
Head coach of the AAA Stars, Dale Grayston said he couldn’t be more proud of Monchuk, and looks forward to seeing what the future holds for last year’s team captain.
“It’s pretty cool that at 18 he had a good idea of the route he wanted to go into, and it’s exciting to see a young guy like that get after his schooling,” Grayston said. “He’s a mature kid and I’m just really proud of him. He’s got a good head on his shoulders and it’s an exciting future for him.”
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