Ottawa girl set to become the youngest university graduate in Canadian history
Anthaea-Grace Patricia Dennis is not your typical 12-year-old.
She is a child prodigy who's about to become the youngest Canadian to ever graduate from university.
On Saturday, Patricia Dennis will walk across the University of Ottawa stage in her cap and gown and accept a bachelor's degree in biomedical science.
She started the program when she was nine, at a time when most of her peers were playing games at recess.
So how is this wunderkind feeling about the big day?
"I'm going to be proud. I'm going to hope I don't fall off the stage," Patricia Dennis said in an interview.
"I'm going to be happy for myself too, not just for other people. I am proud of myself for getting to this point, despite all the hurdles and blocks that there have been for a person like me."
Perhaps no one will be more proud or excited than her biggest supporter, her mom Johanna Dennis.
Dennis said she realized her daughter was special when she was around two-and-a-half years old. She has felt so ever since.
The pair have a close bond.
Dennis was a single mother while she built her own academic career. After obtaining a number of degrees, she's now a law professor and has been instrumental in her daughter's education.
"I feel like part of why I'm going to the convocation and walking across the stage is for her own benefit to say, `Thank you for being there for me.' I think that's really the main purpose of the graduation in the first place," said Patricia Dennis.
"She's always there for me whenever I need her to be there."
Being a preteen in an intensive university program has come with a unique set of challenges. Patricia Dennis has had to deal with people's preconceived notions and expectations about how she is going to look, talk and act based on her age.
"My advice for people who are also young, gifted, smart, talented -- don't let other people's expectations bring you down," she said.
"That's been a major obstacle for me everywhere I go."
She also wants to inspire other intelligent and ambitious children.
"I'm very motivated by the fact that I can be the first (to do) something. You know, being able to show other young, gifted and talented people that something like this is possible, that you can get through these roadblocks, has always been something that I've always wanted to do," she said.
The highlight of her university career so far was completing a 40-page thesis on the relationship functional activity in the cerebellum -- the part of the brain responsible for co-ordinating balance and movement -- and handedness.
The paper concluded that connectivity between the brain and hand is significantly different for people who are right-handed versus those who are left-handed.
After researching the topic for around a year, Patricia Dennis presented her findings at the Ottawa-Carleton Institute of Biology Symposium.
"I can now call myself a researcher," she said. "There are people showing interest in what I'm doing, and I feel like the master of the cerebellum."
When she's not researching or writing about the brain, Patricia Dennis is a "very good" violinist, her mom said.
She also loves playing with her cats and binge-watching TV shows with her family.
After a well-earned break from her studies over the summer, Patricia Dennis is pursuing postgraduate school.
Her top three candidates are McGill University, the University of Toronto and the Illinois Institute of Technology, and she's interested in continuing her research on functional activity in the cerebellum.
"I'll probably pick it back up when I have my own lab, and I can get people to also do it with me, because I'll be in charge," she said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2023.
----
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Most of the city is evacuating': Gridlock on Alberta highway after evacuation order in Fort McMurray
Four Fort McMurray neighbourhoods were ordered to evacuate on Tuesday as a wildfire gets closer to the city.
Sask. police seize 1.5M pieces of evidence, lay 60 more charges in child exploitation case
Saskatchewan RCMP have revealed that a historic sexual assault investigation has led to the discovery of alleged crimes against children dating back to 2005.
'Inappropriate' behaviour shuts down Dublin to New York City portal
Less than a week after two public sculptures featuring a livestream between Dublin, Ireland, and New York City debuted, 'inappropriate behaviour' in real-time interactions between people in the two cities has prompted a temporary shutdown.
Oilers starting Calvin Pickard in goal for Game 4 vs. Canucks
The Edmonton Oilers will start Calvin Pickard in net Tuesday for Game 4 of their playoff series with the Vancouver Canucks.
Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker rails against Pride month, working women in commencement speech
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker railed against Pride month, working women, President Biden's leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College last weekend.
King Charles III unveils his first official portrait since his coronation
King Charles III has unveiled the first portrait of the monarch completed since he assumed the throne, a vivid image that depicts him in the bright red uniform of the Welsh Guards against a background of similar hues.
Full List Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Alberta announces the 4 health agencies that will replace AHS later this year
The province has released more information on its plan to break up Alberta Health Services and replace it with four sector-based health agencies.
Biden administration moving ahead on US$1 billion arms package for Israel, AP sources say
The Biden administration has told key lawmakers it is sending a new package of more than US$1 billion in arms and ammunition to Israel, two congressional aides said Tuesday.