In late March, University of Winnipeg student Sidney Leggett (BSc, Hons 22) had the unique opportunity to join aspiring leaders from across Canada at McCall MacBain Scholarship final interviews in Montréal.
I hope to further pursue how to find impactful and innovative ways to empower Indigenous youth to follow their dreams.
Sidney Leggett
莱格特返回温尼伯后，收到了Marcy McCall Macbain博士和奖学金人员的改变生活的视频电话 - 她被选为McCall Macbain学者。
“收到这个消息真是太超现实了。当我这样做时，我很惊讶接到电话。感觉就像我在梦中生活。”她说。“我在整个过程中取得了成功，并以麦克班麦克班学者之一的身份出现了另一端，真是令人兴奋。”
Leggett将通过严格的七个月涉及两轮访谈的七个月的过程，加入近700名加拿大申请人的20名学者。作为麦考尔·麦克白学者，她将在麦吉尔大学获得全面资助的硕士学位，同时与导师联系并参加一项密集的领导力发展计划。奖学金涵盖了该计划的学费，以及每月2,000美元的津贴。
“Sidney is an exceptional student with a very bright future ahead of her,” said UWinnipeg President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Todd Mondor. “We are very proud of her, as well as of her mentors and supporters at UWinnipeg, including Dr. Melanie Martin, who provided research opportunities and encouraged her intellectual curiosity.”
While completing a Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science and Data Analysis at the University of Winnipeg, Leggett built the website of The Canadian Indigenous Science and Engineering Society, a campus group for Indigenous students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and previously served as the group’s treasurer. She also worked to revitalize the data collection process for Waterways; a youth-focused, Indigenous-led non-profit organization, and built a story-catching website in collaboration with Indigenous community members from three cities.
Leggett worked four part-time jobs during the school year and spent two summers working as a junior epidemiologist and research intern. She will begin a Master of Science in Epidemiology, which will help lay the foundation for a career in Indigenous research.
“I hope to further pursue how to find impactful and innovative ways to empower Indigenous youth to follow their dreams,” she said.
“We need inclusive, collaborative, and forward-thinking leaders in all sectors and fields,” said John McCall MacBain, who, together with his wife Dr. Marcy McCall MacBain, created these scholarships through a historic gift to McGill University. “With this scholarship, students will expand their networks, deepen their leadership skills, and benefit from full funding to pursue their dreams of improving their communities – and the world. Congratulations to these students and the hundreds of candidates across Canada who were considered for this scholarship.”
Each scholar was chosen based on their character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength, and intellectual curiosity.
“Our new scholars have taken different paths towards this moment and will contribute unique perspectives to the scholarship community,” said Natasha Sawh, Dean of the McCall MacBain Scholarships. “The selection committees looked for leadership potential, a willingness to engage with diverse perspectives, and traits like empathy, integrity, and grit. Our process incorporates a wide range of volunteer readers and interviewers, who understand the candidates and their varied experiences.”
More than 130 Canadian leaders volunteered their time to help select McCall MacBain Scholars. They reviewed nearly 700 applications, interviewed 146 students regionally, and invited 50 to a final set of interviews which took place in March.信息会议for the first global cohort of McCall MacBain Scholars are currently underway, and applications will open in June.
Second Scholar in Two Years
Leggett is the second consecutive University of Winnipeg student to earn the McCall MacBain Scholarship.Biology student Josh Swain (BSc’21) was selected as an inaugural scholar in April 2021. He is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Public Health at McGill.
斯温说：“拥有一项全面资助的研究生课程和领导培训是不可思议的。”“该计划的基于案例的学习活动是一种真正独特，实用，令人兴奋的方法，可探索领导力发展，获得经验和学习新技能。”
情郎和莱参加了大学of Winnipeg’sPathway to Graduate Studies program(P2GS) which provides mentorship and research opportunities for Indigenous students in STEM. The next cohort of P2GS runs May 2 – 27, 2022.
“Sidney is an amazing student and I am so proud of her,” said Dr. Melanie Martin. “She started off a new field of research in my lab in the P2GS program and is returning this summer to analyze more data. She is doing amazing things and this award will allow her to reach even further.”