Originally published April 26th, 2023 - Science News
Graduating physics student Sarah Rourke has been awarded a full scholarship for her academic strength and community contributions. She is one of 20 Canadian recipients of the prestigious McCall MacBain scholarship and the second Waterloo student to ever win.
The McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill are Canada’s first comprehensive, leadership-driven scholarships for master’s and professional degree studies. For the first time, this year’s cohort also includes international recipients.
Students and graduates from more than 1,200 post-secondary institutions competed. Rourke underwent a rigorous seven-month selection process involving two rounds of interviews. She will begin her master's degree in particle physics at McGill University this fall.
“This scholarship has opened so many doors. It will connect me with mentors in different areas and will allow me to make the most out of a master’s in physics. It will challenge me to have an impact in my field, in Montreal, and in the world,” she added.
Sarah, who also has a minor in fine arts, was active in the UWaterloo community. She revived and leads FemPhys, a student club for undergraduate, graduate students in physics and related fields. She also led a science orientation week, placed first in an international student research competition and contributed to five public art projects. As a summer intern at SNOLAB, an underground science laboratory in northern Ontario, she served on the equity, diversity, and inclusion task force and volunteered at outreach events. She also won first place at the Canadian Astroparticle Summer Student Talk Competition.
Congratulations Sarah!
To read more about Sarah Rourke's McCall MacBain scholarship, please visit Waterloo News.
