Alador Bereketab has spent the past four years at McMaster not only excelling in the classroom, but building spaces that didn’t previously exist—for herself, and for others.
When Bereketab graduates from the Honours Health Sciences Program (HHSP) this spring, she will do so as valedictorian, a recent recipient of the Scholarship, co-founder of the McMaster Black Health Conference, a key figure with the Black Health Sciences Association and, for a moment, a TikTok star.
In this Q&A, Bereketab shares her motivations for pursuing health sciences at Mac, what’s coming next in her journey, and how her time at McMaster helped her lay the foundation for what’s still to come.
You were recently selected to receive a prestigious McCall McBain Scholarship — Canada’s largest leadership-based scholarships for master’s and professional studies. How does it feel?
It’s been surreal in the best way. It’s been such a journey throughout my fourth year. We had regional interviews. I got to go to Montreal for the final interviews, and I got to meet so many incredible people, many of which I’m still friends with right now and excited to meet in August during the retreat. Receiving it reminded me that the work I’ve been doing, there’s space to continue building in new spaces.
Read more: Valedictorian, McCall MacBain Scholar, and TikTok star: Alador Bereketab on her McMaster experience