Brantford General Hospital

Maria de Castro Santos De Tina became a Canadian citizen in 2017, six years after moving to Canada from Brazil. In addition to her studies at Mohawk, Maria earned credentials in her home country—a Bachelor’s Degree in Music (2001), a Bachelor’s Degree in Physiotherapy (2006), and a Master Degree in Science with a concentration in Oncology (2010). She won a number of awards while at college including the Mohawk College School of Medical Radiation and Allied Health Award (2015), The Judge W.K. Warrender Award (2015), and the Halyna Pierce-Fenn OTA/PTA Bursary (2014/2015). Maria gives back to the community—she was a volunteer for Brain Injury Services in Hamilton (2012–2017) and uses her aptitude for music to play the guitar to help uplift the spirits of others through music. Over the years Maria has played for retirement/nursing homes, the Out-of-the-Cold Program, and the Hispanic Heritage Week Latin Art and Music Exhibit. Maria credits her ESL teachers and her professors at Mohawk as her ‘everyday heroes’ for their professionalism, ethics and commitment to student learning.