This past September, McMaster University launched the Grand Challenges Scholars Program (GCSP), the first of its kind in Canada.
The GCSP is an experiential learning initiative that spans across students’ entire undergraduate careers and supports the commitment to educate future leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs who have global perspectives and social awareness.
Over the past year, 12 students completed the program, including nine engineering students, and are now Canada’s first GCSP recipients.
Lacey Wice and Vincent Popovich are two recipients of the grand challenges scholar program this year and are also the valedictorians for the engineering graduating class of 2020.
“An engineer is truly defined by their desire to learn more – to push the envelope of what is expected of them. This program recognizes those students who innovate, lead and inspire, which are attributes that have always been important to me,” said Wice.
Students developed a portfolio that documented their journey through the program, including enrolling in enriching courses, reflecting on experiences from their undergraduate journeys, and completing an ACTIVE project, which is experiential-based.
ACTIVE projects, which stands for, Attainable, Cultural, Technical, Impactful, Viable, and Experiential, allows students to immerse themselves in a self-directed experience that has a lasting impact in their community.
Students can choose to complete this on their own, or by enrolling in the MacChangers program, which strives to prepare students for the challenges the world currently faces, and will face in the coming years. Over 80 students completed the MacChangers program this year.
“This level of community engagement has been rare in my degree, and the communication skills I have gained out of MacChangers are applicable in any project I do now that involves stakeholder engagement,” said Elizabeth DaMaren, a fourth-year Mechatronics Engineering and Society student who completed the MacChangers program as well as the GCSP.
“It is a great honour to be recognizing Canada’s first Grand Challenges Scholars,” said McMaster’s Dean of Engineering, Ishwar Puri. “We must broaden the idea that engineers and others have to work together.”
The Grand Challenges Scholars Program spans an undergraduate student’s degree (3- 5 year program) and students can apply for entry into the program in their penultimate year. The Program is open to students from all faculties at McMaster University and has no cost for enrollment.
To learn more about the program visit this website.
Watch an Instagram Takeover on the @mcmastereng account featuring graduates of the program on April 15, 2020.
Canada’s First Grand Challenges Scholars are:
Abigail Hudecki – Arts & Science and Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour
Alex Bak – Honours Health Sciences
Alexi Michael – Honours Health Sciences
Arujala Thavendrarasa – Chemical Engineering & Society
Colleen Jenkins – Mechanical Engineering
David Kovacs – Civil Engineering & Society
Elizabeth DaMaren – Mechatronics Engineering & Society
Fanny Poon – Materials Engineering & Society
Kerianne Hagan – Civil Engineering
Lacey Wice – Mechanical Engineering & Society
Linford Rodrigues – Electrical Engineering & Society
Vincent Popovich – Materials Engineering & Society
