Two first-year students will be joining the University of Guelph this September as recipients of Schulich Leader Scholarships, Canada’s most prestigious science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) scholarship program.
Aryan Thakur (below left), a graduate of Southwood Secondary School in Cambridge, Ont., and Matteo Volpini (below right), a graduate of Blessed Trinity Catholic Secondary School in Grimsby, Ont., will each receive a Schulich Leader Scholarship to complete their studies at U of G.
Thakur, enrolled in the Computer Engineering program, is pursuing a career as an artificial intelligence and machine learning engineer, and Volpini, enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, is studying horticulture, with a focus on global food sustainability and supporting Canadian farmers.
Schulich Leader Scholarships provide $100,000 for a science, technology or math degree, or $120,000 for an engineering degree, for entrepreneurial-minded students who demonstrate leadership, charisma and creativity, with strong consideration for financial need.
Each high school in Canada can nominate one student per academic year. From a pool of 250,000 potential candidates across the country, more than 1,300 students were nominated this year, of whom 100 receive this celebrated award.
U of G announced it had become a partner of The Schulich Foundation in November, joining 20 partner universities in Canada.