By McGill Reporter Staff
Anna Henley and Simona Bene Watts have been named McGill University’s 2014 Schulich Leaders, each receiving a Schulich Leader Scholarship for students entering undergraduate studies in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM).
Created in 2011 by entrepreneur and philanthropist Seymour Schulich, Schulich Leader Scholarships are 40 undergraduate scholarships awarded annually to students pursuing undergraduate studies in STEM subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. This $100 million scholarship program is the largest undergraduate STEM scholarship opportunity in Canada and the second-largest endowment to Canadian academia in history. This year, there were 1,147 Schulich Leader Nominees.
Two scholarship recipients – “Schulich Leaders” – are selected at each participating university. One undergraduate scholarship valued at $80,000 is designated for a student pursuing a degree in an engineering program. The second undergraduate scholarship, valued at $60,000 is awarded to a student pursuing a degree in a science, technology or mathematics program (non-engineering based).
Henley, from St. John’s, NF, is the recipient of the award valued at $80,000. A graduate of St. Bonaventure’s College, she entered the Department of Mechanical Engineering this fall. Henley was selected for her outstanding academic record and extra-curricular achievements, core requirements for the award. Among these: she is the youngest-ever winner of the Newfoundland Triple Crown of Rowing, and participated in the 2013 Canada Summer Games; she also is a founding member of a committee that maintains organic garden plots throughout St. John’s and donates the harvests to local food banks.
Bene Watts, of Lee Creek, BC, is the recipient of the award valued at $60,000. A graduate of Salmon Arm Secondary School, she entered the Faculty of Science’s Biological, Biomedical & Life Sciences program this fall. Bene Watts was selected for her outstanding academic and community-service achievements, core requirements for the award. Her accomplishments include helping to organize a humanitarian trip to Ghana to build a primary-school classroom, and serving as the driving force behind a fundraising fashion show for the African famine.
“Fostering leadership in STEM fields is vital to Canada’s economic prosperity,” said Seymour Schulich.“ A scholarship of this size will motivate high school students from across the country to pursue their dream and in the process help to ensure our country’s competitive position. This scholarship, now in its third year, has positively impacted 120 students from across the country in 10 provinces distributing more than $7.6 million to Canadian Schulich Leaders since 2012.”
Open to every high school, secondary school and CEGEP across Canada, Schulich Leader Scholarships recognizes Canadian students who plan to study one of the STEM disciplines during their undergraduate years at university. These students demonstrate two of the following attributes: academic excellence, outstanding community, business or entrepreneurial leadership or financial need.
For more information, go here.