A powerlifting champion is hoping his story inspires others to find way to contribute to their community.
Sumeet Sharma, a member of Team Canada’s powerlifting team, is one of 35 Douglas College alumni who are receiving a $1,000 scholarship from the Douglas College Foundation and Alumni Relations in celebration of Alumni Relations’ 35th anniversary. This award honours alumni who, through their career, life’s work or passion project, are using their skills and knowledge to adapt, innovate and lead in our ever-changing world.
“Our heartfelt thanks go out to all those who submitted nominations for this award, giving us the opportunity to recognize and support our alumni’s ongoing success,” said Theresa Blancaflor, associate director, Annual Giving and Alumni Relations. “We hope that our alumni see their path represented through the amazing Alumni35 stories.”
Desiree Carlson of New Westminster is also among the 35 individuals receiving scholarships and being profiled by the college.
According to a Douglas College profile, Sharma graduated from its criminology program and went on to start a successful career as a corrections officer with BC Corrections. The write-up noted that outside his career, Sharma found a passion for powerlifting, something that empowers him and has given him a platform for positivity.
Sharma told the Record via email that he’s donating his scholarship to non-profits providing medical services for people in Syria and Turkey, following the February earthquakes.
Along with his donation from the Douglas College Scholarship, Sharma helped set up donation boxes in various communities to raise funds to help earthquake victims.
Sharma said his Canada powerlifting team sponsors have helped him give back to the community in many ways, including supporting teachers, health-care workers and local hospitals, and helping people in the Ukraine and other countries.
“In the future, Sumeet hopes to spread his charitable actions worldwide, and to continue sharing speeches on powerlifting and health to classrooms across the Lower Mainland,” said the college write-up. “To learn more about his volunteering initiatives, connect with him on Instagram @sumeetsharmabenchpress.”
Sharma has been competing in powerlifting since 2016, winning gold in 2017 and 2018 at the Western Powerlifting Championships and placing fourth in Canada in 2018. He competed for Canada in Costa Rica in October 2022 in the North American Powerlifting Championships, winning gold for Canada in bench press.
“From these successes I was chosen to represent Canada at the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championship in Newfoundland earlier this year where I walked away with silver in Bench Press,” he said. “I have also started to give back to community by training youth in the Lower Mainland for free.”
Sharma is grateful for the opportunity to put the scholarship from the Alumni Association to help non-profits.
In celebration of its 35th anniversary, the Alumni Association searched for 35 alumni who embody Douglas’ vision of graduating resilient global citizens. These are alumni who, either through their career, life’s work or passion project, are using their breadth and depth of skills and knowledge to adapt, innovate and lead in our ever changing world.
Along with being profiled, the 35 people selected received $1,000 for their choice of the following: using for personal use to help further their career or passion project; donating it to support a Douglas College faculty or program of their choice; or donating it to the charity of their choice in the community.
