Incoming international student Kaeleigh Lewis has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Nicholas and Janice Brathwaite Award, a distinguished scholarship that supports exceptional Caribbean students pursuing undergraduate studies at McMaster University.
Lewis, who hails from Kingston, Jamaica, attended Immaculate Conception High School, where she excelled academically and demonstrated a deep commitment to volunteerism and community service. Driven by her passion for environmental justice, she will begin her first year in McMaster’s Faculty of Engineering, with plans to pursue electrical engineering and ultimately a career in renewable energy.
She hopes her work will advance sustainable and resilient energy solutions — an area she believes is essential to the future of communities across the Caribbean and beyond.
The idea of attending university overseas used to seem so impossible to me. I am extremely grateful to The PETNA Foundation, which saw my potential and decided to take a chance on me.
Established by The PETNA Foundation, the Nicholas and Janice Brathwaite Award recognizes promising young leaders from the Caribbean who show exceptional academic potential, leadership and a strong dedication to giving back. The award removes significant financial barriers for students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue studies abroad and remains one of the most substantial full scholarship opportunities for international undergraduates in Canada.
Nicholas Brathwaite, an alumnus of McMaster University and newly appointed Chancellor, continues to demonstrate his commitment to empowering the next generation of Caribbean scholars through this award.
Reflecting on the life-changing opportunity, Lewis shared: “The idea of attending university overseas used to seem so impossible to me. I am extremely grateful to The PETNA Foundation, which saw my potential and decided to take a chance on me. I hope that my future at McMaster will be a cheerful one, filled with many opportunities.”
The Brathwaites expressed their enthusiasm for welcoming Lewis to the growing community of Brathwaite Scholars, saying, “We are delighted to welcome Kaeleigh as the newest recipient of the Brathwaite Award. She is exactly the sort of inspirational young person we wanted to help when the Award was established, and we know she’ll make a remarkable contribution to McMaster and to society at large in the years ahead.”
Lewis joins a distinguished cohort of Brathwaite Scholars who have enriched McMaster’s campus community. Since 2014, recipients from Grenada, Dominica, and now Jamaica have pursued a range of programs across the Faculties of Engineering and Science.
“We are looking forward to welcoming Kaeleigh to campus to start her Mac Eng journey,” says Lindsay Bolan, Director of Outreach and Engagement in the Faculty of Engineering. “We have a more than 10-year legacy of outstanding Brathwaite Scholars who add to the vibrancy of our campus community.”