Anthaea-Grace Patricia Dennis, A 12-Year-Old Prodigy, Makes History as Youngest Graduate in Canada, Set to Pursue PhD
Admitted to study Biomedical Sciences at the University of Ottawa at the tender age of 9, Patricia exhibited remarkable resilience in the face of challenges, overcoming prejudgments from older classmates about her speech and behavior. Despite these obstacles, she completed her degree in an impressive three years.
AKACHI NOEL 
Anthaea-Grace Patricia Dennis, an extraordinary 12-year-old, has etched her name in history as the youngest graduate in Canada, achieving a bachelor's degree from the University of Ottawa and poised to pursue a Ph.D.
Admitted to study Biomedical Sciences at the University of Ottawa at the tender age of 9, Patricia exhibited remarkable resilience in the face of challenges, overcoming prejudgments from older classmates about her speech and behavior. Despite these obstacles, she completed her degree in an impressive three years.
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"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," Patricia expressed.
Supported by her mother, Johanna Dennis, a law professor and single mother, Patricia's unique skills and talents were recognized and nurtured from a very young age. Patricia's achievements go beyond academia; she established herself as a researcher during her university years, presenting a 40-page thesis exploring the relationship between functional activity in the cerebellum and handedness, which was approved by the Ottawa-Carleton Institute of Biology Symposium.
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"I can now call myself a researcher, I feel like the master of the cerebellum," Patricia proudly stated.
Beyond her academic prowess, Patricia is also an accomplished violinist and enjoys spending time with her family and cats. Looking ahead, she plans to pursue postgraduate studies, aspiring to continue her research on functional activity in the cerebellum. Patricia dreams of having her own research lab and leading a team of researchers.
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"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 shared.
