Schulich Scholarships

Hometown: Oakville, Ontario

Program of Study: Engineering Physics, Level 2

Why McMaster? I decided to go to McMaster because to me it was a mix of everything I wanted in my undergraduate career. McMaster has a wide variety of engineering disciplines you can go into in second year and being able to have a general first year helped me explore these different aspects of engineering. Also, we have a flexible co-op, friendly community and a nice campus!

List of extra-curriculars, research involvement and/or co-op placements!

• Research Assistant in department of Engineering Physics
• Bay Area Science an Engineering Fair Merit Award Judge
• Engineering 1 Operating Committee student representative
• Hackathons!

Best thing about the Schulich Scholarship? Aside from the financial support the award also has a great community! Especially at Mac, the Schulich Squad works hard to organize meetups, networking events and volunteering. I really enjoy learning from the other leaders and having a community to belong to.

Proudest McMaster Accomplishment? My proudest accomplishment at Mac is probably speaking at the Ascension 2020 conference hosted by SEDS Canada at McMaster Innovation Park. I talked about my project on radiation protection in space. I learned so much about the space industry and from truly inspirational people. And I love the opportunity to talk to others about my research.

Advice to a future student? This is probably a cliché, but do not be afraid to try new things. I think university is a great place to get involved in something you may not have experience in. This can help you meet new people and maybe learn a new skill! It’s so important to take advantage of the multitude of opportunities in university and find something new that you could be interested in.

Hopes and plans for the future? After I graduate, I hope to have travelled more or do more travelling around the world. Whether that be through internships or vacation. I am still considering my career options, but at the moment I am looking at a career as an aerospace engineer. Hopefully, I get to work on something going to the moon, Mars or beyond!

Hometown: Burlington, Ontario

Program of Study: Computer Engineering & Management, Level 2

Why McMaster? I chose McMaster because of the amazing community that I really connected with when I first came to visit. I really felt like I would be welcomed by everyone and I would have a chance to be a part of an amazing group of people and that was so important to me when I decided on Mac. The engineering “Fireball Family” is so welcoming and supportive, and everyone tries to help each other whenever they can. On top of that, I am very interested in business and commerce courses, and the Engineering Management option fits perfectly with my plans so that was another major reason to come to Mac.

List of extra-curriculars, research involvement and/or co-op placements! 

Extra-curriculars: Electrical team member, McMaster Formula Electric, RedSuits, Engineering Student Ambassador, McMaster DECA U, and McMaster Google DSC. 

Research experience: Summer Researcher in Dr. Hassan’s Lab in the ECE Department. My research focused on designing software to test memory access patterns to reduce latencies

Best thing about the Schulich Scholarship? The best part about being a Schulich Scholar is the nation-wide community of leaders that I get to be a part of. At Mac we have had a bunch of social events with our leaders (the McMaster Schulich Squad), and I have really enjoyed getting to know everyone. There are also many networking events and an annual Schulich Leader conference called SLX which has had some amazing keynote speakers. Additionally, the financial support from the Schulich Scholarship has been extremely helpful, as I have not had to worry about how to fund my education and I’ve been able to focus on my courses and extracurriculars.

Proudest McMaster Accomplishment? My proudest McMaster Accomplishment would probably be when I got to present my research at the 2020 McMaster Undergraduate Summer Research showcase. It was the culmination of several months of hard work, lots of learning, coding, testing, and troubleshooting, and it was so satisfying to be able to present the work I had done to my colleagues. It was also my first time creating and presenting a formal research poster and I am so glad I got that opportunity.

Advice to a future student? My biggest advice to future students is to try to find a good school-life balance that lets you enjoy the amazing social aspects of university. I think I got really stressed out about grades (I still am to a certain extent) and that could overshadow the fun events and opportunities I had the chance to participate in. I think the best thing a future student could do is take the time to learn what balance of schoolwork and social life is best for their mental and physical wellbeing, and then adjust their work habits so that they can succeed in school, without compromising their health. At the end of the day, if you don’t do amazing in one class, its not going to change much in the long run, so don’t stress, and try to have fun along the way!

Hopes and plans for the future? My hope is that when I graduate, I will be working in the computer hardware industry, helping to create the next generation of computing technologies. I have not fully decided if that means I will be working in hardware research or in practical implementations and design, so for now I just have a general goal to work in the computer hardware industry.

Hometown: London, Ontario

Program of Study: Mechanical Engineering, Level 3

Why McMaster? One of the main reasons why I was drawn to McMaster Engineering was because of the comprehensive general first year of classes. Upon graduating from high school, I knew I wanted to pursue Engineering, but I was not yet set on a certain specialty. The general first year of Engineering at McMaster gave me great insight into every option available to me, and the courses helped me realize my passion for Mechanical Engineering. Additionally, the opportunity to enhance my studies through McMaster Engineering’s flexible co-op program and ground-breaking research facilities was another key factor in my decision to attend McMaster.

List of extra-curriculars, research involvement and/or co-op placements! So far, I have been involved with the Women in Engineering Society and I am currently a member of McMaster’s Synchronized Swimming (Synchro) team. Additionally, I have been involved with McMaster Engineering’s Summer Research Program. After my first year of Engineering, I worked as a Research Assistant and Software Developer at McMaster’s Computing Infrastructure Research Centre (CIRC), where I focused on developing a machine learning model for a client. As part of my involvement in the Summer Research Program, I also participated in events such as trivia nights and a research poster showcase.

Best thing about the Schulich Scholarship? One of the best things about the Schulich Scholarship is the nationwide community of other Schulich Leaders. From the day that I was named a Schulich Leader, the community welcomed me with open arms and made me feel connected and comfortable in the professional world. From exclusive career fairs and conferences to networking socials with other Leaders, the perks of the Schulich Scholarship are endless. The monetary value of the Scholarship has also supported me greatly through my degree as I have been able to pursue my academic and extracurricular passions without a financial burden.

Proudest McMaster Accomplishment? In February 2020, I travelled to Vancouver, BC to compete in the Canadian University Artistic Swimming League National Championships with McMaster Synchro. This is my proudest accomplishment at McMaster because not only was I given the opportunity to represent McMaster on the national stage, but this was also the first time that I got to compete in a level higher than the provincial level in a sport that I have been passionate about and involved in for over ten years.

Advice to a future student? My advice for a future student is to take the opportunity to do things that are outside of your comfort zone. As an introverted person, I am not always keen on going to social events, but I ended up meeting some of my best friends through socials run by the McMaster Engineering Society. In my first year, I took an elective course in which I had absolutely no prior knowledge and only a handful of other Engineering students were taking, but this course ended up being one of the most interesting and unique courses I’ve taken to date. Stepping outside of my comfort zone has allowed me to discover new things about myself and others, and I would suggest that any future students try to do the same!

Hopes and plans for the future? As of now, I do not have a concrete idea of what I would like to be doing after I graduate. I am still exploring my career options by looking for co-ops and internships in both research and industry to get more insight into what I would ultimately like to pursue. Currently, my Mechanical Engineering specialization interests include Biomechanics and Design, although I am still discovering new passions every day.

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Program of Study: Software Engineering and Management, Level 4

Why McMaster? I originally wanted to go to McMaster for their Mechatronics and Management program. Mechatronics because I was interested in the intersection of software, electronics, and mechanical systems and I liked McMaster's focus on software, which was different than other universities. Management because I have always been interested in business and wanted to add that learning to my experience in university, allowing me to have more options in the future, and a greater understanding of all the parts of a company. I had also heart great things about the McMaster Engineering community, and McMaster in general.After receiving the scholarship, McMaster was a no-brainer. After first year I ended up pursing software instead of mechatronics since I realized over the course of my first-year studies, I was more interested in software.

List of extra-curriculars, research involvement and/or co-op placements! 

Extra Curriculars: Lift Church (2017-Present), Intramurals: Basketball, Ultimate Frisbee (2017-Present), Schulich Leader Squad Captain (2018-2020) and DeltaHacks Sponsorship Executive (2018-2019). 

Co-op: AcroDynamix: Software Developer and System Analyst (Summer 2018), Scotiabank: Programmer Analyst (Summer 2019) and Scotiabank: Software Developer (Summer 2020)

Best thing about the Schulich Scholarship? There are many perks to being a Schulich Leader. One of the biggest is the network you get to build of some of the smartest and most talented people in Canada. The opportunity to regularly engage with them on your own campus, or at events is fantastic. Another perk is the events and opportunities that I have the privilege of participating in. This includes things like high quality guest speakers, meetings with some of the McMaster Deans, and serving in unique ways like at a workshop day at Google for a junior high class. Of course, the financial security and freedom the scholarship provides is great, allowing me to go through university debt free, as well as be generous with my finances and start investing early.

Proudest McMaster Accomplishment? I think my most proud achievement at McMaster is the network of friends, colleagues, and acquaintances that I have built during my first few years here. It’s a wonderful feeling to know a variety of diverse people and be able to walk around the campus, saying hi to people that I know. It makes me feel much more at home and has greatly enhanced my experience so far at McMaster.

Advice to a future student? My biggest piece of advice to any future student would be to try new things. This is important because the more things you try, the more you realize what you enjoy in life, and what your good at. University is an amazing place where you have both the freedom, and the time, to do a lot. I would highly recommend getting involved with a variety of different organizations and clubs, as well as trying to do research and co-op positions. Through these experiences, you will learn what you like, and do not like, allowing you to better target a future career down the line. You also meet a diverse set of people which expands your network and broadens your understanding of the world!

For students looking to apply to the scholarship, I did not think I would get the scholarship at all and almost did not apply thinking it would be a waste of time to apply to something I have no chance of getting. Well here I am now! Apply even if you do not think you are qualified. For those who have already received it, congrats, and welcome to the McMaster Schulich community. I look forward to meeting you! :)

Hopes and plans for the future? I graduate in spring of 2022 and after that I hope to get an engineering job where I can learn, be challenged, lead, and positively contribute to the company and team! 

Hometown: Hensall, Ontario 

Program of Study: Software Engineering, Level 4 

Why McMaster? I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do after high school, but I know liked math and science, and thought that engineering would be a good fit. After looking into it (and after the general first year at Mac), I decided on Software Engineering. Honestly, a big factor in me choosing McMaster was the Schulich Scholarship and the financial security it brought, but having gone for three years now, I'm glad I made the choice. Not only is the campus beautiful, but the sense of community is amazing and I've met plenty of fantastic professors that have helped me on my path to academic success.

List of extra-curriculars, research involvement and/or co-op placements! I worked two summers for Dr. Smith as an Undergraduate Summer Research Assistant, working on a software framework called Drasil. The heartbeat behind Drasil is encoding information in a way that is traceable and reusable to improve the maintainability, organization, and simplicity of the software development process by allowing the same information to be used in all software artifacts (code, specification documentation, test cases). I also did a half-TA position for Dr. Smith for SWFRENG 2AA4, which was a deeply rewarding and enjoyable experience! I also play keyboard (and occasionally drums/cajón) for the worship team at LIFT Church.

Best thing about the Schulich Scholarship? The biggest and most obvious perk of being a Schulich Scholar is the financial security it brings, so I don't have to worry as much about how I'm going to fund my education and can focus more on the education itself. It has also helped as a resume booster and has come up as a talking point in a few interviews, and has allowed me to meet other Schulich Scholars; one of my best friends from Mac is also a Schulich Scholar, and is also in Soft Eng, and we first met when he recognized me from the Schulich website!

Proudest McMaster Accomplishment? I think my proudest achievement at McMaster is winning second place for overall hack at DeltaHacks VI. Me and a team (two of which we met upon arriving at the hackathon) made a prototype of a library seat tracker that would allow students to visit a website from home and see, in realtime, how full/empty a library is (to better assess whether or not it's worth it to make the trek over to campus, etc.); we used an ultrasonic sensor connected to a Raspberry Pi to detect if a seat was taken, a MongoDB database to store the data from the sensor, an ML model to predict the expected availability for the next hour, and a website (written with JavaScript and HTML) to display the current availability. This project required us to quickly learn a lot of new technologies and integrate them within 24 hours, which proved challenging and a little bit stressful, but ultimately rewarding.

Advice to a future student? The biggest advice I would give would be to put yourself out there, especially in your first few weeks at university. As a massive introvert, I was really worried about getting to know people, but during Welcome Week, I had a sense of freedom to strike up conversations with random people (everyone was on the same page of "starting over", so what was there to lose?) and I was able to connect with a bunch of people over common interests (board games, music, video games, general shenanigans and tomfoolery, more games, Shrek, lots of games) that I'm still good friends with. Don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone; it's a lot easier to dip from a club later on that to try to join one with established cliques while juggling a class/exam/work/stress schedule; get involved in stuff that interests you, and do it as early as possible. Also, don't buy textbooks until you know FOR SURE that you need them.  

Hopes and plans for the future? I hope to graduate with the skills needed to impact the software of the world in a way that benefits society as a whole. What this definition means has changed a lot; coming out of high school, I thought that game development would be a "waste", but since playing certain video games (Undertale, OneShot, OFF), consuming other media (Don't Hug Me I'm Scared, Homestuck, The Adventure Zone) and playing Dungeons & Dragons with friends, I have a greater appreciation for video games as an art and the impact that stories can have on individuals and by extension society. Regardless, my primary goal is to create something that helps people, whether financially, physically, spiritually, mentally, or whatever, that is meaningful by some measure of the word and will last after I'm gone.

Hometown: Courtice, Ontario

Program of Study: Mechatronics Engineering, Level 5

Why McMaster? I chose McMaster for the amazing community and all the outreach activities (open houses, meetups with upper year students & professors, shadowing classes) that I was able to participate in as a prospective student. In my Grade 12 year I was invited to an interview day for scholarship applicants. This was one of the most influential experience in choosing McMaster because I was able to see how much the Professors and Upper Year students cared about the next class of first years. They all gave up a Saturday to come and answer my questions and make me feel welcome. Although this particular event no longer occurs, the spirit of community persists and is woven throughout McMaster in the extra-curriculars, open houses, and new outreach initiative

List of extra-curriculars, research involvement and/or co-op placements!

Extra-Curriculars: McMaster Engineering Musical, McMaster Chamber Orchestra, Engineering Welcome Week Reps & Planning Committee, McMaster Baja
Other: TA for IBEHS 1P10, MES Tutor
Co-op: 360insights.com: Full-Stack Developer (Summer 2018), Bionik Laboratories Corp.: Software Engineering Intern (Summer 2019), McMaster University: Course Developer 1P10/1P13 (Summer 2020)
Research: Bioprinting & Tissue Engineering - Department of Mechanical & Biomedical Engineering (Summer 2017)

Best thing about the Schulich Scholarship? One of the best things about being a Schulich Leader are the opportunities to meet amazing people. Whether it's meeting your local squad and gaining close friends, hanging out with the national network and making connections, or meeting influential keynote speakers at the annual SLX conference, you will never be at a loss to expand your network.

Proudest McMaster Accomplishment? My proudest achievement at McMaster is the work I'm doing this summer (Summer 2020). In my job as a course developer I am directly contributing to and shaping the experiential learning of future First Years. As part of the team developing ENGINEER 1P13 I have an opportunity to impact the education of 1200 incoming students and am very excited to see how this course continues to grow and develop over the next few years.

Advice to a future student? My biggest piece of advice is to keep an open mind and be ready to deviate from a carefully planned out path. When I started at Mac Eng, I was convinced I would go into Chemical Engineering. During first year I was exposed to programming for the first time and realized that what I most wanted to do was Mechatronics Engineering. I'm happy with the stream I chose, but the experiences I've had in biomedical engineering research and industry have led me to realize that I most want to be working in the health profession or in biomedical research. Keeping an open mind doesn't just apply to your overall path. If you can keep an open mind and try new extra-curricular activities, make new friends, and overall just try things that you wouldn't have in high school, you will be so much better for it.

Hopes and plans for the future? As I enter my last year at McMaster I'm preparing applications for future studies including medical school and graduate studies.

Hometown: Mount Albert, ON

Program of Study: Chemical Engineering and Society with an Interdisciplinary Minor in Sustainability, Graduate

Why McMaster? When I came to visit the students and staff were very friendly, and I quickly felt like I was part of the McMaster community!

List of extra-curriculars, research involvement and/or co-op placements!

Wastewater Treatment Research Assistant in Dr. Latulippe's Lab
Summer Student at Hatch in the Water Treatment Group
Polymer Based Hydrogel Research Assistant in Dr. Latulippe's Lab
Electrocatalysis Research Assistant in Dr. Higgin's Lab
Chemical Engineering Club (Year Rep, VP, and Conference Planner)
McMaster Engineering Society (VP External and President)
Engineering and Society Student Association (Year Rep and VP)
Ontario Engineering Competition (VP Competitions)
Creating Leadership Amongst Youth (CLAY) Conference (Session Leader)
McMaster Energy Week (Competitor)
& many more!

Best thing about the Schulich Scholarship? One of the biggest perks that I found were the core of students at your school that you get to meet, as well as the national network of engaged students from across the country that you get to know.

Proudest McMaster Accomplishment? I'm most proud of how much I grew as an individual at McMaster through intramurals, extracurriculars, academics, and friendships.

Advice to a future student? It's important to find a balance to sustain you. In university there is a lot of push to do, do, do, and you need to find what will help you recharge. For me it was often a walk in Cootes, or taking the time to cook a really nice meal, but it looks different for everyone

Hopes and plans for the future? I'm graduated and currently pursuing an MASc in the area of Methods for Life Cycle Assessments at the University of Toronto.

Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia 

Program of Study: Engineering Physics Graduate

Why McMaster? Mac Eng seemed to have a great sense of community, in addition to being an excellent engineering program.

List of extra-curriculars, research involvement and/or co-op placements! 

• McMaster Improv Club
• Engineering Redsuits (Welcome Week representative)
• Research assistant at McMaster
• Research assistant at TRIUMF (particle physics laboratory)

Best thing about the Schulich Scholarship? The Schulich Scholarship made it possible for me to study at McMaster -- I would not have been able to afford to do so without the award. I'm grateful to have met other Schulich leaders by receiving the award as well. A number of them are still close friends of mine.

Proudest McMaster Accomplishment? I'm proud of my engineering capstone project. My team and I built an autonomous radiation-surveying robot. I did much of the programming and had a blast!

Advice to a future student? Join a club! I was part of the McMaster Improv Club throughout all four years of my undergraduate degree. Some of my fondest memories are from times during club meetings and with the people I met through the club. Also, winning the award and being accepted at McMaster are both huge accomplishments -- be proud of that. Both of those achievements can carry a huge sense of pressure though. In addition to working hard, etc., make time to do things you enjoy and be with the people you love. 

Hopes and plans for the future? I'm a graduate student at U of T, pursuing a PhD in medical biophysics. I hope to become a professor.

Hometown: Belleville, Ontario

Program of Study: Electrical & Biomedical Engineering Graduate

Why McMaster? McMaster University was an obvious choice for me. McMaster’s excellence in engineering, and health science afforded me the opportunity to combine my passion for engineering based problem-solving with a desire to make an impact in people’s health. McMaster is a pioneer in the field of biomedical engineering education and research- offering one of the first multidisciplinary biomedical engineering programs in the country. The opportunity to, in the same day, spend time in a anatomy lab and a state-of-the-art engineering lab was a uniquely enriching experience that has broadened my perspective on the possibilities at the junction of engineering and health.The program has continued to evolve and with world-class professors from both the engineering and health science fields McMaster should be top of mind for any aspiring biomedical engineer!

List of extra-curriculars, research involvement and/or co-op placements! I was lucky during my undergraduate degree to have exposure to a wide-range of extra-curricular activities and research experiences. These included the McMaster Solar Car team where I worked with my peers to help ensure optimal solar array performance. It was also important for me to give back to the Hamilton community. During my time at McMaster I volunteered with Frontier College as part of the teen homework club at the downtown public library. I was also fortunate to have NSERC-funded summer research opportunities during my time at McMaster which provided me with important experiences that have shaped my understanding of what a career in research looks like and, most importantly, were lots of fun!

Best thing about the Schulich Scholarship? I was awarded the Schulich Leader Scholarship in the first year of the program, and since then it’s been wonderful to see the network of scholars grow. Beyond the financial strain the scholarship helps alleviate the large and growing network of inspiring and creative peers has been one of the best things about the Schulich Scholarship for me . I’ve learned so much from my fellow scholars and anticipate that learning will continue for a long time to come.

Proudest McMaster Accomplishment? My proudest McMaster moment was my engineering capstone showcase at the end of my final year. The experience was a culmination of years of schooling and experiences at McMaster and provided me and my team with an opportunity to showcase all we had learned with our classmates, professors, and community members.

Advice to a future student? My advice to future students is to use your undergraduate experience as an opportunity to explore and grow both through academics and extra-curricular activities. There can be an overwhelming variety to the options available to you - so many classes to choose from, clubs to join, projects to work on. Trying a multitude of options and giving yourself space for failure is the best way to determine which path will most resonate with you. My second piece of advice is to maximize your learning. In my opinion that doesn’t always mean doing well on a test, rather, it means taking time to understand and learn from your teachers, mentors, and peers.

Hopes and plans for the future? Since graduating from McMaster, I’ve pursued a research-based Masters degree in biomedical engineering where I worked on brain-computer interface (BCI) research at a pediatric children’s rehabilitation hospital. Afterwards, I co-founded a medical device startup.