海角社区

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Two students who are heading to 海角社区 this autumn are among the 40 inaugural recipients of the Schulich Leader Scholarships program, which sets out to foster future Canadian leaders who are entering the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics at 20 selected universities. When 16-year-old Julie Wong from Vancouver learned she had won a Schulich Leader Scholarship, her good fortune didn鈥檛 seem quite real. 鈥淚 just couldn鈥檛 wrap my head around it,鈥� she admits. 鈥淲hen I read the email, there was an initial moment of shock and disbelief.鈥�

The scholarships, each valued at $60,000 over four years, are among the most generous undergraduate awards in the country. They have been established thanks to听 an $100-million endowment created by mining mogul and 海角社区 graduate Seymour Schulich, BSc鈥�61, MBA鈥�65, DLitt鈥�04. They promise to have the kind of far-reaching educational impact created by programs like the Rhodes Scholarships and the Gates Cambridge Scholarships.

Thanks largely to this prestigious prize, Julie Wong will pack her bags and head to Montreal this autumn to study chemical engineering at 海角社区. Joining her on a similar academic journey will be fellow Schulich Leader award recipient Michael Kourlas from Ottawa, who plans to pursue a degree in electrical engineering.

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鈥淭he Schulich Leader Scholarship represents an enormous personal accomplishment for me,鈥� says Michael, 17. 鈥淚'm very grateful to Seymour Schulich for his generosity, and I'll be working hard to make sure the scholarship money is put to good use.鈥� He adds that he could hardly contain his excitement when he learned he had been selected from among almost 1,000 nominees. 鈥淎fter I read the offer, I ran over to the phone to call my parents, almost tripping over a chair in the process,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey were equally excited about the news.鈥�

Julie and Michael both possess the leadership skills and spirit that the scholarship program is intended to foster. Julie was one of the top students at the York House School in Vancouver, B.C. She excelled in science competitions, debating and public speaking, and she volunteered for several community programs, including Ronald McDonald House and the Kidsafe Project, which provides a nurturing haven for vulnerable inner-city children. Michael, for his part, graduated at the head of his class from Ashbury College in Ottawa, Ont. He is an accomplished debater, public speaker and programmer, and he has won prizes in chemistry, physics, computer science history and philosophy.

鈥淚t is with great pride and enthusiasm that we welcome both of these exceptional young leaders to 海角社区, and join our sister universities in bringing this historic initiative to life鈥� says Professor Heather Munroe-Blum, 海角社区 Principal and Vice-Chancellor. 鈥淪eymour Schulich has been a most remarkable friend to our University as well as one of its greatest benefactors and ambassadors, and the Schulich Leader Scholarships demonstrate more powerfully than ever his vision, generosity, and commitment in advancing the cause of higher education in Canada.鈥�

Schulich, who credits a scholarship with enabling him to complete his own MBA at 海角社区, has consistently stepped forward with transformative gifts to strengthen his alma mater. In 2005, he donated $20 million towards the Faculty of Music, which was renamed the Schulich School of Music in his honour, and followed up the next year by establishing the Golden Violin Award, a scholarship that has been described as the 鈥淪tanley Cup of classical music.鈥�

In September 2008, Schulich invested $5 million to support graduate students in agricultural and environmental sciences, architecture and urban planning, physics, and mathematics and statistics. He also established 海角社区鈥檚 Schulich Library of Science and Engineering. Now, through his latest act of philanthropy, Schulich is again creating unique opportunities for some of the most promising young scholars and leaders in the country.

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