New Schulich Leaders ready to drive innovation in STEM

New undergraduates Emily McKinnon and Tarnjot Singh Aujla are SFU’s 2024 recipients of the prestigious Schulich Leader Scholarship for young minds pursuing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Chosen out of a pool of 350,000 potential candidates across Canada, they are two of more than 1,400 students who were nominated—of which only 100 students in Canada receive the distinguished awards.

McKinnon, a graduate of Mission Middle Secondary School, is receiving a $120,000 scholarship in engineering science and will be entering the School of Sustainable Energy Engineering (SEE) program this fall. Singh, a graduate of Khalsa Secondary in Surrey, is receiving a $100,000 scholarship toward his computing science degree.

McKinnon says she is especially grateful for the opportunity the scholarship affords her.

 “With the Schulich Leader Scholarship, I will no longer have to worry about multiple jobs to save for school; I can now focus entirely on my studies and make connections with those who are in this program alongside me.”

She says she’s particularly excited to learn more about renewable energy technology and energy efficiency, and take part in the unique co-operative education placements that SEE offers.

 “I love watching what I learn in the classroom translate into physical, real-life engineering and design, and I want to make a difference when it comes to moving towards most sustainable opportunities offered in Canada.”

Singh, who skipped a grade in high school, begins university a year earlier than planned. He has the ambitious goal of completing a double-major in computing science and computer engineering at SFU.

“I really appreciate the ability to explore and experiment as I learn, and I’m excited to do that at SFU. With the Schulich Leader Scholarship, I will be able to complete my degree without worrying about the financial burden and this allows me to continue giving back to the community in different ways.”

Singh is already working on improving an app he designed for his high school and is excited to come up with new innovations to benefit people across the province.

“Looking at student management systems like MyEdBC, I would love to build a system that works for everyone: the admin staff, teachers, and students—one system that goes well together and cuts down the work on all sides.”

With the Schulich Leader Scholarship supporting them, McKinnon and Singh are not only able to chart their own paths to success, they’re also envisioning and paving the way for a better future for all.

About Schulich Leader Scholarships Canada

Recognizing the increasing importance and impact that STEM disciplines will have on the prosperity of future generations, businessman and philanthropist Seymour Schulich established this $100+ million scholarship fund in 2012 to encourage our best and brightest students to become Schulich Leader Scholars: the next generation of entrepreneurial-minded, technology innovators.

Through The Schulich Foundation, these prestigious entrance scholarships are awarded to 100 high school graduates enrolling in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) undergraduate program at 20 partner universities in Canada. Every high school in Canada can submit one Schulich Leader Nominee per academic year based on academic excellence in STEM, entrepreneurial leadership and financial need.

 “We are proud to celebrate the continued success of Schulich Leader Scholarships, the premiere STEM scholarship program in Canada. This group of outstanding students will represent the best and brightest Canada has to offer and will make great contributions to society, both on a national and global scale. With their university expenses covered, they can focus their time on their studies, research projects, extracurriculars, and entrepreneurial ventures. They are the next generation of entrepreneurial-minded, technology innovators,” says program founder Mr. Schulich.