After a rigorous application process, 50 emerging leaders will attend final interviews in March 2021 for a chance to join the first class of McCall MacBain Scholars at McGill.
The McCall MacBain Scholarships are Canada’s first comprehensive leadership-based scholarship for master’s and professional studies. The scholarship enables students to pursue a fully funded master’s or professional degree at McGill University while connecting with mentors and participating in an intensive leadership development program.
“There is no typical McCall MacBain Scholar. We look for potential in students from all walks of life, with different academic and volunteer interests. What unites them is the inner drive to learn, lead, and make a positive impact in other people’s lives.”
Over 735 people applied to join the inaugural cohort, and 132 participated in interviews with local leaders in November before the 50 finalists were selected. Up to 20 McCall MacBain Scholars will be chosen after final interviews, which will take place from March 11 to 13.
The finalists come from 28 Canadian universities from coast to coast. Their work on campus and in the community has included organizing climate action groups, editing and running student journals, volunteering with artificial intelligence and robotics projects, establishing anti-racism initiatives, providing support for community members in vulnerable situations, and working on several public health, data, and educational projects related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finalists were chosen based on their character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength, and intellectual curiosity.
“There is no typical McCall MacBain Scholar,” said Natasha Sawh, Dean of the McCall MacBain Scholarships. “We look for potential in students from all walks of life, with different academic and volunteer interests. What unites them is the inner drive to learn, lead, and make a positive impact in other people’s lives.”
During this selection process, the finalists have had opportunities to connect with each other and the McCall MacBain Scholarships team. Since January, they have been participating in a series of online webinars with leaders from McGill and Montréal for advice on pursuing graduate studies, moving to a new city, and engaging with the broader Montréal community.
Finalists who are not selected as McCall MacBain Scholars will be eligible for a $10,000 entrance award for their studies at McGill.
The McCall MacBain Scholarships will expand internationally over the next decade, with up to 75 scholars on campus at any one time. By 2030, nearly 300 McCall MacBain Scholars will have been selected.
 | Sinan Abi Farraj McGill University (BEng’21) Montréal, QC |
 | Ali Al Samuraee HEC Montréal (BBA’20) Montréal, QC |
 | Kasem Alhaeik Université de Montréal (BA’21) Brossard, QC |
 | Somaya Amiri McGill University (BA’20) Maple Ridge, BC |
 | Graham Bennett University of Calgary (BA’21, BHSc’21) Calgary, AB |
 | Fatima Beydoun Dalhousie University (BA’21) Halifax, NS |
 | AJ Bimm University of Toronto – New College (BA’21) Toronto, ON |
 | Mikyla Callaghan Queen’s University (BSc’21) Calgary, AB |
 | Lauren Chang University of Guelph (BA’21) Markham, ON |
 | Feng Chen Polytechnique Montréal (BEng’21) Laval, QC |
 | Larissa Chiu University of British Columbia (BSc’21) Vancouver, BC |
 | Gina Cormier Concordia University (BA’21) Lachine, QC |
 | Brendan Cottrell Simon Fraser University (BASc’20) Surrey, BC |
 | Daisy Couture University of British Columbia (BA’20) Vancouver, BC |
 | Amy Dagenais University of Ottawa (BSc’21) Saint-Raymond, QC |
 | Nathan Duarte University of Waterloo (BASc’21) Milton, ON |
 | Laila El Mugammar University of Guelph (BA’21) Waterloo, ON |
 | Mustafa Fakih McGill University (BEng’21) Montréal, QC |
 | Ben Hallworth University of Alberta (BSc’21) Edmonton, AB |
 | Rhianna Hamilton Queen’s University (BA’21) Kingston, ON |
 | Sophia Hershfield University of Winnipeg (BA’20) Winnipeg, MB |
 | Christina Hoang York University (BA’19) Toronto, ON |
 | Margaret Hopkins Acadia University (BScH’21, BMus’21) Wolfville, NS |
 | Megan Ingram University of Victoria (BA’21) Saanich, BC |
 | Janson Kappen McGill University (BSc’21) Montréal, QC |
 | Stephanie Kay McMaster University (BHSc’20) Mississauga, ON |
 | Danny Ke University of Ottawa (BSc’21) Kanata, ON |
 | Chanelle Lajoie University of Winnipeg (BA’20) Winnipeg, MB |
 | Jill Lamb University of New Brunswick (BSc’19) Halifax, NS |
 | Grace Ma University of Toronto – Trinity College (BSc’21) Toronto, ON |
 | Claire MacDougall St. Francis Xavier University (BSc’21) Antigonish, NS |
 | Nicole Machado University of Toronto – St. Michael’s College (BSc’21) Toronto, ON |
 | Caroline Merner Dalhousie University (BA’17) Garibaldi Highlands, BC |
 | Razan Mohamed Western University (BA’21) Scarborough, ON |
 | Miranda Monosky Memorial University of Newfoundland (MA’20), University. of the Fraser Valley (BA’18) St. John’s, NL |
 | Hayley Newman-Petryshen Wilfrid Laurier University (BA’21) Mississauga, ON |
 | Betty Nwaogwugwu York University (BScN’18) Scarborough, ON |
 | Nicole Osayande Queen’s University (BCmp’21) Bowmanville, ON |
 | Tyler Paetkau University of Alberta (BA’21) Edmonton, AB |
 | Amanda Sears York University (BA’20) Montréal, QC |
 | Kaitlyn Smoke York University (BA’20) Pain Court, ON |
 | Zeytouna Suleiman McGill University (BSW’20) Montréal, QC |
 | Josh Swain University of Winnipeg (BSc’21), Assiniboine Community College (Dipl’09) Winnipeg, MB |
 | Helen Thai Carleton University (BCom’17, BA’20) Stittsville, ON |
 | Caitlin Thomas University of Manitoba (MA’21), St. Francis Xavier University (BA’17) Winnipeg, MB |
 | Raymond Tu University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BSc’21) Guelph, ON |
 | Nico Waltenbury Western University (BA’20) North Bay, ON |
 | Ren Wang University of British Columbia (BSc’21) Vancouver, BC |
 | Jackson Weir University of New Brunswick (BSc’21) Fredericton, NB |
 | Cindy Zhang University of Calgary (BSc’21) Calgary, AB |
For more information:
Julia Lo, Director of Marketing & Recruitment
[email protected]