Lauren Baron
BRANT NEWS

Brantford’s Bharati Sethi is a finalist in Canada’s Top 25 Immigrants Awards for 2012.

The fourth annual people’s choice award, run by RBC, recognizes those who have come to Canada and made a positive difference.

Sethi is one of 75 finalists who will be whittled down to 25 through online voting.

The doctoral student was nominated for her work on immigration policy and the challenges trained immigrants face in Canada. Sethi works in collaboration with Immigrant Settlement Transition Employment and the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie.

Her current research looks at the link between employment and health among visible minority immigrant and refugee women.

Sethi, a Canadian citizen who emigrated from India, is the recipient of awards including the Courage to Come Back Award, presented by the Canadian Mental Health Association, and the Hillary Weston Graduate Award. She was also named one of 166 Vanier Canada Scholars and one of Wilfrid Laurier University’s 100 Alumni of Achievement.

Sethi currently teaches transnational immigration at McMaster University.

Past Top 25 winners include Donovan Bailey, Michael “Pinball” Clemons, Robert Herjavek and Senator Viviane Poy.

Winners receive a commemorative plaque and $500 donated by RBC to a charity of their choice. Voting runs until April 13 at www.canadianimmigrant.ca/canadas-top-25-immigrants. Winners will be announced at the end of May.