GK Scholarships: Jamie Libenstein

Golden Key is charmed to introduce Jamie Libenstein, one of Golden Key’s 2020 Graduate Scholarship winners. Jamie attends the University of Montreal and is working towards her PsyD in Clinical Psychology.

“Receiving this award not only humbles me but encourages me to continue to work hard throughout my graduate degree and to exemplify Golden Key’s values within my community and academic affiliations,” Jamie says. “Thank you, Golden Key for this recognition and honor!”

Jamie enjoys being involved in her community and can often be found volunteering. 

“Leadership, academics and service have played an important role in my life,” Jamie reveals. “These values have guided me in my volunteer work during the pandemic, such as acting as a community crisis response volunteer within my community, baking desserts for frontline health care workers, maintaining programming at my synagogue for women and families and acting as a mentor for new students entering my university.”

Along with Jamie’s commitment to volunteering, she is also dedicated to academic excellence. 

“A commitment to academic excellence has provided me with the privilege to receive two scholarships this year from my university and from the Jewish Community Foundation of Montreal in addition to Golden Key’s award,” Jamie shares. 

In addition to Jamie’s outstanding academics, she is also a research member at the Sainte Justine Children’s Hospital in Montreal. In 2020, her thesis proposal regarding child development and early mild traumatic brain injury was accepted.

 “I have been completing assessments with parents and children in order to better provide support and care for children who suffer a traumatic brain injury, a phenomenon becoming more common in the past several years,” Jamie explains. “Our goal is to detect differences that may arise for children post-injury in comparison to their non-injured peers in their attachment, social, cognitive, emotional and physical development. With the detection of these possible changes post-injury, we will be able to prepare and help parents and their children in the recovery period. This research has thus far given me the ability to develop my skills as a researcher and future practitioner as well as to give back to the greater Montreal.”

Jamie enjoys getting involved in Golden Key by participating in webinars and reading articles on the Golden Key Academy site. 

“Golden Key’s services have given me access to educational articles and webinars both related to my field of psychology and in other diverse fields,” Jamie remarks. “I feel as if I have expanded my knowledge due to these services. Golden Key has further offered me the financial aid I need to continue expanding my knowledge in pursuit of my graduate degree.”

Jamie is looking forward to using her award to further her education.

“As the psychologists before me, my goal is to help those in need on the path to personal growth and a healthier and more positive state of mind and well-being, especially during these difficult times,” says Jamie. “This award will allow me to continue to work towards this goal.”

Thank you for being a part of the Golden Key family, Jamie; we wish you the best of luck with your research!