University of Waterloo student Sarah Rourke (BSc’23) will join the first global cohort of McCall MacBain Scholars at McGill University.
The fourth-year Physics and Astronomy student is one of 20 Canadian recipients of the scholarship, the result of a landmark $200 million gift in 2019 by John and Marcy McCall MacBain. For the first time, this year’s cohort also includes international recipients.
Designed to encourage purposeful leadership, the McCall MacBain Scholarships enable students to pursue a fully funded master’s or professional degree at McGill, while participating in mentorship, coaching, and a leadership development program.
“I was in my university’s library when I received the call. I had just written a midterm that morning, but this was all that was on my mind!” said Sarah. “After, I immediately called my family and then found a friend on campus to hug. I am grateful for my support system.”
Originally from Ottawa, Sarah revived and leads the FemPhys feminist physics club at the university. One of the club’s recent initiatives was to host a mentoring night to connect over 100 students to diverse mentors. Sarah has 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.
Sarah underwent a rigorous seven-month selection process involving two rounds of interviews. She is the second University of Waterloo student to earn this award.
“It was such an honour to be among all the finalists,” she said of her interview experience in Montreal. “Everyone brought a unique experience and I believe I met some lifelong friends. I especially enjoyed the trip to the art gallery and attending the cultural panel; I met many like-minded people, and this made me very excited to move to Montreal.”
As a McCall MacBain Scholar, Sarah plans to pursue a master’s degree in physics at McGill.
“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.
Each scholar was chosen based on their character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength, and intellectual curiosity.
“Sarah’s selection is a tribute to the time and energy she has put into improving the lives of others,” said Natasha Sawh, Dean of the McCall MacBain Scholarships. “Our volunteers looked not only for academic strength, but for leadership qualities like integrity, kindness, grit, and an ability to motivate a team to address tough challenges.”
To recognize additional talent, the McCall MacBain Scholarships and McGill University also offered 96 entrance awards ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 each to top candidates who were not selected for the cohort. University of Waterloo students Snit Abrha and Benjamin Easton both earned regional awards of $5,000, which can be used at any public university in Canada. Altogether, this year’s 126 scholarships represent an estimated commitment of nearly $3.3 million in tuition and living costs alone, which will be complemented by mentorship and leadership development programming.
Applications will open in June 2023 for September 2024 admission.
