Mark & Dorothy Danzker Scholarship: Setting up for Success

It was 2008. The Dark Knight was the year’s highest-grossing film, while Slumdog Millionaire won the Academy Award. Barack Obama won his first election as President, the Calgary Stampeders won the Grey Cup, and Peter Parboji received the 2008 Mark & Dorothy Danzker Scholarship, an annual award of excellence for ethno-cultural heritage preservation.

Parboji became involved with Folklorama at 11 years old with the Indo-Caribbean Pavilion. In fact, his entire family was involved. His Dad was one of the entertainment coordinators. His Mom volunteered in the kitchen, his aunts, uncles, and grandparents volunteered in various capacities while his sister, cousins, and himself performed on stage. It truly was a family affair.

“I was a performer,” stated Parboji. “I was one of the tassa drummers that opened the show, playing with the stage band, singing, or all three. I eventually became the entertainment coordinator before getting involved with Folklorama committees.”

Thinking about his next step after graduation of going into U1 and eventually business at the University of Manitoba, it was through his involvement with his Pavilion that he learned about the Mark & Dorothy Danzker Scholarship.

“Before applying for the scholarship, I had never really thought of playing music and singing songs as anything more than a hobby,” stated Parboji. “Applying for and eventually being awarded the scholarship helped me learn that I was contributing to something bigger.”

Today, Parboji is a Chartered Professional Accountant working at Wawanesa Insurance here in Winnipeg. He is also a member of the Folklorama Board of Directors. Parboji imparted this advice to students thinking about applying for the scholarship opportunity.

“Success breeds success, so seeing you be recognized for your efforts preserving your culture might encourage someone else to get more involved in your community or launch their new idea, and it starts a chain reaction. The money to help with tuition was nice as well.”

Thank you, Peter, for your continued support in preserving culture. You’re a true role model for many.

Are you interested in applying for the Mark & Dorothy Danzker Scholarship for Excellence? Click here.