Kinga Petrovai - Class of 1999

"By exposing me to a range of different experiences and acitivies, I would say that Elmwood presented me with endless opportunities."

"Elmwood’s emphasis on education and the value of effort made me believe that I could tackle any challenge no matter how difficult it might seem at first." As a product cost analyst at Canada Post, this is something that Kinga Petrovai draws on everyday.

Kinga began Elmwood in Grade 11 because her parents heard that it was a great school with strong academics and substantial science courses. In her first year at the School it became obvious to many of Kinga’s teachers that she had a talent for science and math, and as a result encouraged Kinga to apply for the Shad Valley program, where she was sponsored by iSTAT and given a summer job position. Shad Valley is a month-long summer enrichment program with a focus that includes the sciences, technology and entrepreneurship.

After completing her OAC year at Elmwood, Kinga’s abilities in the sciences won her a Nortel scholarship which included a summer job with the company. After graduating from Electrical Engineering at Carleton University, Kinga got a job working in the engineering department at Canada Post. Kinga explored several different opportunities with Canada Post before landing her current job in the finance department. Working in the finance department might seem like an odd choice for an engineer, but Kinga loves that challenges presented when you combine engineering and business.

Picking one word to describe Kinga would be difficult but "well-rounded" springs to mind immediately. While attending Elmwood, Kinga was involved in many extra-curricular activities, including sports teams, math tutoring and the Classics Club. In addition, Kinga organized groups of students to go and see dress rehearsals of Opera Lyra performances. As an adult, Kinga continues her involvement with opera as a volunteer member of the Opera Lyra Guild.

Kinga says that it was her Elmwood education that has allowed her to excel in her career and her volunteer work. "By exposing me to a range of different experiences and acitivies, I would say that Elmwood presented me with endless opportunities."