Hatter awarded for stellar grades at U of L

By Peggy Revell on June 16, 2018.

prevell@medicinehatnews.com @MHNprevell

Medicine Hat’s In-tek Hong has been recognized for his top grades by the University of Lethbridge with the Silver Medal of the Governor General, and Faculty of Arts and Science gold medal.

“The goal is to get into medicine,” said Hong, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the U of L’s biochemistry program this spring.

Although he hasn’t been accepted into a medical program yet, Hong plans to continue working toward that goal while also working and volunteering.

He’s interested in pediatrics or emergency care.

“Who knows, that could change on a dime,” he said, explaining he hopes to find out what he’s more interested in once in the program.

The Governor General’s medal is awarded to the student with the highest academic standing at the undergraduate level.

Throughout the four-year program, he worked to keep his grades high as part of his goal of going into medicine, he said, and in his fourth year realized he had the possibility of graduating at the top. Even then, he didn’t know until two weeks ago and five days ago that he was to be the recipient of both awards at convocation.

“I wasn’t really expecting it,” he said.

The faculty at the University of Lethbridge is “fantastic,” he said. “They teach you so well, and I learned a lot from them.”

Friends and families have also been a big support to him, not just during university, he said.

Hong graduated from Monsignor McCoy High School in 2014.

While he graduated with a 4.0 GPA, it’s not just about academics for Hong.

He volunteers with Alberta Health Services, is a coach for the Medicine Hat Knights Baseball, and volunteers with the Challenger Division Baseball — an adaptive sports program for those with physical and intellectual disabilities.

He has also visited the Dominican Republic twice as part of a humanitarian projects to build shelters, provide medical assistance and run youth programming.

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