Paris grad earns top honours and sets sights on future in virus research

Charlie Brozina at the Paris District High School Commencement held last month. Charlie finished second in her class and accepted several awards. She was also honoured with the prestigious Queen’s University Chancellor's Scholarship. 

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

Hard work, curiosity and a passion for learning have carried Paris District High School graduate Charlie Brozina to an impressive list of academic achievements - and now to Queen’s University with a prestigious $48,000 Chancellor’s Scholarship in hand.

Brozina, who finished as Second Place Graduate of the Class of 2025, received multiple awards at commencement, recognizing excellence in academics, science, art and music. Among them were the Eric Irving Memorial Beauti-Tone Paint Award, the Dr. Geoffrey Bell Memorial Fund Award, the Mike Poremba Memorial Award, the H.A. Garner Award in Art and the Second Place Graduate award donated by the Optimist Club of Paris.

Brozina said the recognitions were “one of the most gratifying and reassuring feelings in the world,” noting that each award represents not only personal effort, but also the encouragement received along the way. Collaboration and support were key to her success.

“I had friends I could spend hours with, bouncing ideas back and forth and learning through discussion,” she said. “I was also lucky to have dedicated teachers who took the time to answer every question. That sense of teamwork and shared learning made all the difference.”

Balancing academics, a part-time job, extracurricular involvement and time with family and friends wasn’t always easy, but Brozina approached each aspect of her life with intention and balance.

Her schoolwork came first, her job served as a built-in study break and time with loved ones was the reward after a long day. She said she learned early that balance matters.

“There truly is time for everything if you approach it with balance,” Brozina said. “If you focus only on work, the burnout will be far worse than any time spent recharging.”

This fall, Brozina began studying Life Sciences and Biochemistry at Queen’s University and hopes to specialize in medical research with a focus on virology. Her interest was sparked during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she saw firsthand how scientific discovery influences global health.

“Seeing the global effort to study, contain, and eventually manage the virus made me realize how powerful scientific research can be,” she said. “What excites me most is the opportunity to make a measurable impact.”

Her current coursework is already fuelling that passion. A Queen’s pharmacology class on viruses and antiviral treatments has strengthened her curiosity and shaped her future goals.

Brozina hopes to explore vaccine development and production, areas she sees as critical to public health and disease prevention worldwide.

Despite her strong foundation in science, Brozina said her involvement in the arts also played an important role in shaping who she is, and believes it helped set her apart for the competitive Chancellor’s Scholarship.

“The award looks for a combination of academic excellence, creativity, and community involvement, and I’ve always tried to embody that balance,” she said.

As she settles into university life, Brozina is grateful for the support system that helped her reach this stage and is motivated to continue pursuing excellence, with the same balance and curiosity that carried her through high school.