Schulich Leader Scholarships have awarded two University of Victoria undergraduate students each a $60,000 four-year entrance scholarship — the largest science, technology, engineering and mathematics-based scholarship of its kind in Canada.
Jennifer Borchert, a graduate of Clarence Fulton secondary school and Aliya Khan of Gladstone secondary school in Vancouver are two of 40 students from 20 Canadian universities receiving the scholarship.
These students have been selected to represent their schools as the inaugural Schulich Leaders scholars, recognizing students who demonstrate academic excellence and plan to study in one of the four key disciplines and who show community leadership.
Borchert, who is planning to enroll in the Bachelor of Science program, was acknowledged for her role in helping to build a gravel walking-path on school and city property alongside a preserved wetland, for contributing to the construction of a wall at an orphanage in Nicaragua, and for her volunteer work at the North Okanagan Hospice Society.
“I have learned that if I care about something, I can make a difference,” said Borchert in her letter to the selection committee.
Schulich Leaders were selected from a pool of nominees who applied through the university application process.
Every high school, secondary school and CEGEP (in Quebec) nominated one student each to be eligible to receive the scholarship. This year there were 977 Schulich Leader nominees.
Canadian business leader and philanthropist Seymour Schulich created Schulich Leader Scholarships.
In addition to the Canadian program, a similar Schulich Leader Scholarships program is being carried out in Israel. This historic $100 million scholarship initiative was implemented to secure the future economic competitiveness of Canada and Israel and is designed to ensure that future Canadian and Israeli leaders are among the next pioneers of global scientific research and innovation. In 2012 there will be 40 Canadian and 10 Israeli Schulich Leaders.
For more information, please visit www.schulichleaders.com.
