Winning an Esri Canada Scholarship has provided access to software, training and resources that have already strengthened my ability to carry out and share spatial analysis.  As a PhD student seriously considering a career in the non-profit and development sectors and currently busy with research abroad, it would have been difficult to find the time and resources to build these skills without the Esri Scholarship.  Access to ArcGIS Online and the Open Data capabilities have been especially promising options for applying spatial analysis and visualization solutions to global challenges.