‘It’s possible to succeed’: From poverty to Western University graduate

It was a moment he never believed would happen as a young boy growing up in Markham, Ont.

“It's very exciting to be here today,” said Demo Kaltabanis, who received his Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Western Ontario (UWO).

Kaltabanis, 21, is not your typical UWO graduate.

He grew up in poverty, and living conditions made academic success difficult.

“We had six people so cramped in an apartment which was 700 square feet,” said Kaltabanis. “So we were always running on top of each other.”

He described how his mother would lay foam mattresses on the ground to make a bed for them, then in the morning take them apart so they’d have space they’d use as a living room.

But when he arrived at Western’s Saugeen-Maitland residence, his own personal space allowed him to succeed and thrive.

He's even done a Ted Talk about his life growing up, entitled Socio-Economic status and Academic dreams.

“We’d use space heaters to keep warm, and it would keep the apartment just warm enough so we’d only see our breath in the morning,” Kaltabanis said during his Ted Talk. “I remember the time I woke to my parents screaming, because the space heater at the feet of my bed caught fire.”

Demo Kaltabanis, 21, walked across the stage at Western University Convocation on June 19, 2023. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

UWO faculty member Amy Horton said she never knew Kaltabanis’ personal story until recently because she said “he is so humble”.

“I've been here for almost 10 years now, and he stands out at the top for me,” said Horton. “It shows that anyone in his position can do just as well as he has.”

Kaltabanis plans to return to UWO this fall to pursue a Master’s of Science Degree in Nursing, but his dream is to become a family physician.

“I’ve had a few placements in cardiology, ENT, and paediatrics, and I’m currently a [registered nurse] working in the [emergency room] in a rural hospital,” said Kaltabanis. “It's called Four Counties Health Services. It's really nice because it’s a super-intimate experience where we get to really kind of work with the doctors work with the nurses.”

Horton admitted she doesn’t like to promote her graduates becoming doctors.

“Although the world needs family physicians, I obviously want to keep them in nursing for as long as I can,” said Horton. “The world holds nothing by greatness for Demo.”

Now that's he's accomplished his immediate dream, he wants other youth to know that it is a possibility for minorities, or those with a low socio-economic status, to succeed.

“You have that possibility, you just have to believe in yourself,” said Kaltabanis.