Recipients of the Schulich Leader Scholarship

10 undergraduate students from Queen’s University have received the Schulich Leader Award Scholarship. We’re proud to see 3 Computing students included in the list.

Here’s what the winners had to say about receiving this scholarship.

Catie Austin

Winning the Schulich Leader scholarship has been a life changing experience for me in so many ways. Financially it’s been incredibly important to me of course. Before winning this scholarship I was unsure if I would even be able to attend university this year, and I knew I’d have to dedicate a lot of time to working when I did go instead of spending time working on projects I was interested in. The moment I had been offered the scholarship all that uncertainty and restriction was gone, and I am very grateful for that.

Becoming a Schulich Leader has also connected me to an amazing network of people who want to make a difference in STEM like I do, which is an extremely valuable resource to have. It’s because of these advantages the Schulich Leader scholarship has offered me that I am in a unique position where I can make an impact at Queen’s and beyond that I couldn’t have dreamed of before, and I hope to take advantage of being in that position to the fullest.

One of the things I love about computer science is how far reaching its applications are. The skills computer scientists have are useful in so many fields, and I’m still exploring where I want to go with the skills I’ll have. One of the places I could see myself making the most difference in is developing software to help people with mental health issues such as anxiety disorders. I think computing has the potential to be helpful in improving all areas of a person’s health, and I think I’d like to be a part of making that potential a reality.

Sharaf Khan

I hope to improve millions of lives in the future, and this scholarship serves as a catalyst to accelerate this process through financial freedom and elite network connections. As a computer scientist, I aspire to cross my expertise in modern technologies and molecular biology to create more effective treatments for diseases.

Dajung Yoon

In receiving this prestigious scholarship, through communication with my fellow leaders, I have come to the realization of how much access I have to such a huge network. It is an amazing feeling getting a scholarship that has a mission statement that values what I have been working hard towards. Receiving this scholarship means that I have a bigger opportunity to achieve my career and goals. It is an honour to be called a Schulich leader among my respected peers.

As for my career, I want to work with young kids and further educate them in the fields of STEM. Same as other schools, usually there are not that many girls in a computer science class. In my community, there were only two girls including me in the computer science class. So I want to be able to educate the kids in my town to realize how many pathways there are. In general, for my career, I want to be able to use my knowledge in software to help people and their needs. For example, I would love to work in areas with prosthetics and or robotics. However, I am not 100% set on my future, I am planning on being open with my courses, so I am able to see what intrigues me the most.

Congratulations to you all, we hope this scholarship helps you in achieving your fantastic aspirations!