Meet Waterloo’s 10 new Schulich Leaders | Waterloo News

The University of Waterloo is pleased to welcome 10 outstanding students to its incoming first-year class through the prestigious Schulich Leader Scholarships program.

Awarded annually to 100 high school graduates across Canada, these scholarships recognize exceptional individuals who demonstrate strong entrepreneurial potential in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Each Schulich Leader receives between $100,000 and $120,000, empowering them to pursue their academic goals with financial peace of mind.

Since 2012, nearly 90 Schulich Leaders have chosen Waterloo as the launchpad for their academic and professional journeys.

“I am pleased to welcome this year’s cohort of Schulich Leader Scholars to the University of Waterloo,” says president and vice-chancellor Dr. Vivek Goel. “These students are among the brightest young minds in STEM, and I look forward to seeing the breakthroughs, dedication and shared success they will contribute to our community and beyond.”

Meet the 10 remarkable student scholars joining Waterloo this September.

Fiona Cai | Computer Science

For Fiona Cai, technology is as much about people as it is about innovation. From purposeful applications for seniors to a real-time sign language translator, she has built several award-winning projects. As chair of YRHacks, Canada’s largest high school hackathon, and founder of the nonprofit Codebuds, Cai has connected thousands of students to STEM opportunities.

A dedicated mathematician, she qualified for the Math Prize for Girls at MIT, was president of her school’s math club, and led her school team to top finishes in international competitions.

Cai is currently interested in the intersection of human-computer interaction and machine learning and has her eyes set on building technology that empowers others. After graduation, she hopes to draw on her problem-solving skills to develop technologies that push boundaries and make tangible impacts.

“I can’t wait to get involved once I’m on campus … I think being in an environment where everyone is constantly building will be incredibly inspiring,” she says.

Kaibo Huang | Software Engineering

Kaibo Huang is a big sports fan, an avid math contest writer, a competitive programmer and former co-president of the Computer Science Club and vice-president of the Physics Club in high school.

In May 2025, he joined Electrium Mobility — a Waterloo design team — where he has been helping build Electriumap, an app that helps users locate nearby outlets and stay connected to green energy. “I’ve really enjoyed collaborating with upper-year Waterloo students over the summer, and I look forward to taking on a larger leadership role within the team,” he says.

At Waterloo, Kaibo hopes to build on the skills he developed in high school and push beyond his comfort zone. “I enjoy uncertainty, taking unconventional paths and learning from as many people as I can” he says. He chose to pursue a Software Engineering degree because of its broad curriculum covering math, physics, computer science and hardware, with hopes of one day working with machine learning and data.

Michelle Jeon | Computer Science

After visiting her sister in Silicon Valley, Michelle Jeon was fascinated to see how technology enhances human lives, which fuelled her interest in exploring the intersection of user experience and technology.

“I chose the University of Waterloo because it felt like the launchpad for the future I want to build,” she says. “The Computer Science program is where I believe I could easily explore how things work under the hood, while also thinking about the impact it leaves on users.”

For this reason, Jeon aspires to use technology as a force for social impact by building tools that will make for a healthier future.

One of her proudest achievements to date was seeing her grandfather, who is deaf, use the app she developed to aid deaf individuals with communication. “Seeing something I built make a difference in the life of someone I love was a full circle moment,” she shares.

Hilary Pang | Mechatronics Engineering

Hilary Pang hopes to one day launch a prosthetics startup that utilizes rapidly progressing AI technology to make mobility more accessible while empowering lives through smarter engineering.

This passion is the reason she chose the University of Waterloo for its direct entry to the Mechatronics program where she’ll dive right into robotics and smart technology.

“Mechatronics engineering perfectly combines my love for mechanical systems, electronics and programming — skills I developed through hands-on projects and builds in high school,” she says.

During high school, Pang gained extensive leadership skills through various volunteering programs including the Physics Olympics and STEAM clubs. She looks forward to gaining new industry skills through Waterloo’s renowned co-op program where students gain up to two years of work experience before.

Matthew Petersen | Systems Design Engineering

Matthew Petersen is a founder of Project WhyFi, a student-led organization that is dedicated to educating youth on financial literacy. To date, the initiative has reached more than 6,600 students in York region and more than 18,000 around the world.

Peterson was also president of his high school’s DECA chapter and recently placed 5th in the world at the DECA International Career Development Conference.

At Waterloo, he is excited to join the Systems Design Engineering program for its project-based approach that will enable him to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges.

“Touring Waterloo’s campus and attending events like the Socratica Symposium introduced me to an amazing community and inspired my desire to work alongside peers and faculty who share a passion for creating impactful solutions,” he says.

Through Waterloo co-op opportunities, he hopes to find his place in tech where he can channel his passion for shaping a wholesome future for humanity.

Dorathy Shen | Physics and Astronomy

Dorathy Shen has always been passionate about music and sports, but her curiosity reaches far beyond Earth. She has bold aspirations of becoming an astrophysicist and possibly even an astronaut.

Motivated by a desire to make a meaningful impact through science and leadership, Shen has spent time tutoring students in physics, mathematics and coding, while also serving as a badminton coach for several years.

In high school, she designed an affordable, eco-friendly modular wind turbine concept, sparking her interest in applying science to solve real-world problems and improve lives.

“I want to use my work to inspire others and help develop technologies that benefit humanity,” she says. Shen is most excited to join the Waterloo community, where she looks forward to diving into research and co-op opportunities in physics and astronomy.

Richard Si | Computer Science

For more than six years, Richard Si has been programming and contributing to international open-source software projects. That’s why it was a “no-brainer” for him to join Waterloo’s Computer Science program.

“I appreciate the flexibility offered by the program … I will get to dive deeper into my main hobby, while exploring my other interests in math and science,” he says.

Although Si is most proud of the open-source projects he’s been fortunate to collaborate on, which has made him a trusted leader in the Python developer tooling ecosystem, he strikes a balance by engaging in hobbies that aren’t computer science-related like cycling and swimming.

As a self-taught programmer and budding computer scientist who leans toward practical applicability, he is looking forward to understanding the theory behind software and hopes to work in the software industry after graduating.

“I want to continue leading in the Python OSS ecosystem … and if I could mix open-source into my day-job, that would be amazing,” he shares.

Azka Siddiqui | Computer Engineering

After taking part in hackathons and leading computer science initiatives in her community, Azka Siddiqui realized that a lifelong career in creating things through the merger of hardware and software is where she’d best fit.

While completing an internship with Nokia last summer, Siddiqui developed solutions on the Fault Management team including refining an advanced filter tool that displayed data from more than 10,000 alarms. She has also contributed to university research developing smart-grid anomaly detection algorithms using federated learning, receiving the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing award for her work.

At Waterloo, Siddiqui looks forward to being part of Waterloo’s startup and innovation ecosystem. “Being able to live on campus because of this scholarship puts me in a much better place to learn, collaborate and build,” she says.

Long-term, she hopes to launch a health-tech startup harnessing computer vision to design smart diagnostic devices, combining her technical expertise with her drive to create technology for social good.

Cherry Wang | Computer Engineering

Growing up, Cherry Wang leaned into her creativity through drawing, crafting and building homemade gadgets. This meant engineering and computer science were far removed from her initial career aspiration in animation.

Things changed when she took her first computer science class in Grade 10. “Learning to code, even with simple programs like Scratch, opened up a new world for me,” she says. “That’s when I discovered computer engineering — a perfect blend of hands-on building and problem-solving with code — and I knew it was the path I wanted to follow.”

Despite learning to code later than her peers, Wang’s passion for her new interest led her to become a leader in the field. She also facilitated workshops and organized hackathons that attracted more than 100 participants.

Determined to meaningfully contribute to technological innovation for social good, Wang hopes to one day work at Google or a similar tech giant. “My dream is to create tools that make tech more accessible or solve real problems in overlooked communities.”

Sean Zhang | Computer Science

Throughout high school, Sean Zhang was deeply passionate about STEM, with a particular love for chemistry, physics, mathematics and engineering. In his later years of high school, he discovered programming and was drawn to how code could bring ideas to life and create meaningful impact.

“Even before receiving this prestigious scholarship, Waterloo was always my top choice,” he says. Zhang is eager to begin his studies and take advantage of an environment that balances academics with real-world experience. He’s especially excited to meet other students who share his energy, drive and passion for building and lifelong learning. “Whether it's in class, at a co-op job, or through a side project, I’m excited to learn from those around me and grow together.”

Aside from his tech interests, Zhang is also a competitive swimmer and founded his high school’s varsity swim team that went on to break regional records within its first year. Starting this fall, he will be joining the Waterloo Warriors and looks forward to continuing his swimming career under coach Jacky Beckford-Henriques.

Mentorship plays an important role in Schulich’s support for Canadian youth. Sharing insights from his extraordinary life and career, he offers his reflections on success in the new addendum to his 2007 motivational book, Get Smarter.