Blake VanBerlo

Founder, VanBerlo Consulting | 2013 Scholar

GETTING THE SCHOLARSHIP
“I had a friend over and we were doing homework together. I then got a call from Western University and they told me that I had won the Schulich scholarship. I was completely flabbergasted and humbled because I knew how competitive the scholarship was. I got off the phone and I immediately told my friend and my mom. My mom was beyond excited and proud!”

HOW IT STARTED

Born in 1995, London, Ontario. I grew up in the small town of Komoka just outside of London.

HOW IT'S GOING

"I graduated in software engineering. My current field is artificial intelligence. I am the founder of a firm called VanBerlo Consulting!”

“I became interested in artificial intelligence near the end of my undergraduate degree because I took some courses as technical electives. It was fascinating to see what these algorithms can do. I was struck by the potential of what artificial intelligence has to offer the world in so many different domains.”
“The most rewarding part of working in my field is being able to apply AI methods to improve services like healthcare and governmental services. Working in AI also permits and requires me to emphasize continuous learning in my career as the field rapidly evolves.”

BLAKE'S MAGIC

DISCOVER THE POSSIBILITIES

If you have multiple interests, there are many options these days to combine degrees. I know many individuals who combined degrees and who had different passions, and they are now very happy and fulfilled.

THAT ONE TEACHER

Mrs. Sharp was my grade five teacher and she taught me the value of hard work and perseverance, all of which had a big impact on me because it gave me the tools to do what I wanted.

SUPPORT SYSTEMS

Having a support system is huge. I have a very supportive family who was very encouraging of me. They celebrated my successes and didn't penalize me for my failures. I have two little brothers who were very supportive, they are my best friends. My wife is also the most supportive person in my life- she always encourages me to do what I love!

THE BUTTER BABIES!

A couple of my buddies from high school and I decided to form a rock band called the Butter Babies! We wanted to connect and have something to do outside of work hours that paid homage to our former musical hobbies. We actually created the album cover using an algorithm!

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