Larissa Vingilis-Jaremko: A Young Woman of Distinction

By Olena Wawryshyn

Since a young age, Larissa Vingilis-Jaremko has demonstrated a “can-do” attitude.  When she was nine years old, she founded the Canadian Association for Girls in Science (CAGIS) to help break gender stereotypes and encourage girls to get interested in the fields of mathematics, science and technology.

Larissa noticed that many of her female classmates did not enjoy these subjects and believed they were better left to the boys.  They thought scientists were “men in a lab coat and glasses and crazy hair,” says Larissa.

She thought differently. Her mother, Dr. Evelyn Vingilis, a professor and medical researcher, had introduced the young Larissa to many women scientists. They became Larissa’s role models who proved to her that women can excel in fields that are often traditionally considered male preserves.

Wanting to spread her passion about science and math to her peers, she started the first chapter of CAGIS in London, Ontario, in 1992.  The organization, geared to girls aged 7-16, has grown to become a national one with chapters in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and New Brunswick. Now, as a University of Toronto student, Larissa continues to be actively involved with CAGIS and serves as the non-profit organization’s president.

“One of our missions is to help get more girls into some of the fields where there is less representation...Our basic mission is to create a science literate society or science literate citizens,” says Larissa.

She believes that the work of CAGIS is particularly important today because “we are living in a technological, knowledge society.” Every citizen should “have the ability to read a newspaper article about a [scientific discovery] and pull out the facts,” she says.

To help girls develop their knowledge and research skills, CAGIS volunteers organize events featuring fun hands-on activities and guest speakers.  The girls also visit workplace environments to get an idea of what scientists and mathematicians do day-to-day.

CAGIS members also develop confidence and leadership skills by taking on roles with increasing responsibilities says Larissa. For example, they might lead and organize events or contribute to CAGIS’s newsletter or website.

In addition, the organization has been involved in the development and publication of a children’s book series.

Larissa’s mother, whose specialty is psychology, helps with CAGIS's communications and finances. Introduced to psychology by her mother, Larissa has chosen to also study this area of science.  Larissa’s father, engineer Walter Jaremko, has also had a major influence in her life.

It was through him and her grandmother, Maria Jaremko, that Larissa had an opportunity to learn about her Ukrainian heritage. “When my parents were at work, my baba was at home with me so she basically raised me. I grew up eating Ukrainian food, did Ukrainian dancing (with UNO’s Dorist in Toronto and later Barvinok in London, Ontario), and went to a Ukrainian sleep-over camp (Sokil, in Hawkestone, Ontario). So it was a big part of my life,” says Larissa.

Larissa is still connected to the community. She was a residence at St. Vladimir Institute in Toronto for two years and attends Ukrainian Students’ Club meetings when time permits. In addition, she took a Ukrainian language course at the University of Toronto and, in 2004, was awarded the Ivan Franko Scholarship in Ukrainian Language and Literature by the university.

Larissa’s accomplishments have garnered her considerable media attention. She has been interviewed by CBC Radio and numerous publications. Under her leadership, CAGIS has received the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council’s Michael Smith Award for excellence in science promotion and the TD Canada Trust Scholarship in 2001.

This month, on May 30, she will receive the 2006 Young Woman of Distinction Award from the YWCA, a multiservice organization for women and girls.

When asked how she feels about receiving the YWCA award, she says: “When I look at the other women who are being honoured this year, and who have been honoured in the past, it’s just incredible. I’m honoured that they think highly enough of me to put me in the ranks of those other women. But at the same time, it’s a great honour for CAGIS. There are so many people who are helping to run this organization. It really attests to the strength of CAGIS and all of the volunteers who work on it with me as well.