Three high school graduates from southwestern Ontario are gearing up for the next stage of their journeys with impressive scholarships in hand.
They are among this year’s winners of the competitive Schulich Leader Scholarship, which grants students heading to university over $100,000.
“It was definitely a pinch-me moment and still is, just because it’s such a life-changing opportunity,” said scholarship recipient and Kincardine District Senior School graduate Esha Gill.
“I thought it was not real. I definitely thought they were calling the wrong person.”
Gill plans to start a dual-degree in engineering and business at Western University in September, following her father, who is an engineer, as well as two sisters.
“It’s been a lifelong passion to enter into engineering and it’s a dream come true to get my offer at Western and also for the scholarship. It all worked out,” Gill said.
LISTEN | These students share what it means to win the Schulich Leader Scholarship:
London Morning8:07 Meet two students who just scored huge scholarships
Receiving a scholarship right after high school is quite an achievement, but awards exceeding $100,000 will surely help lessen university tuition costs. Engineering student Angelo Placido received the Schulich Leader Scholarship worth $120,000 while math student Lina Hout won $100,000. Both shared their excitement on London Morning about their wins and future studies.
Each year, 100 students across Canada receive this scholarship aimed at supporting those studying science, technology, engineering, and math. Awardees must also show academic excellence along with leadership skills, charisma, creativity, and an entrepreneurial mindset according to the scholarship’s website.
Partner universities throughout Canada, including Western University, evaluate applications and choose recipients. This fall, 10 of this year’s Schulich scholars will begin their studies at Western.
“I think what sets me and all the other Schulich scholars apart is our ability to just have a clear vision for the future and have a burning desire to make a dent in the universe,” winner Angelo Placido said.
“Of course you should have good grades and extracurriculars but you have to be able to showcase that you can lead.”
Placido graduated from Regina Mundi Catholic College and will study engineering at Western starting in September with his $120,000 Schulich scholarship.
![]()
Lina Hout and Angelo Placido are London-area recipients of the Schulich Leader Scholarships. (Travis Dolynny/CBC)
“I’ve always been interested in solving problems and understanding how things work. I like how engineering combines creativity with math and science plus real-world application,” he explained.
Scholarship winner Lina Hout from Westminster Secondary School will also be going to Western in September for math studies.
“It was life-changing,” said Hout about her $100,000 award from Schulich.
“Paying for university has been one of my biggest concerns throughout all of high school,” she mentioned. “Hearing that I won the scholarship made me completely stress-free. Now I don’t have to worry about paying.”
Placido reflected that this new chapter has been long awaited since moving from the Philippines during elementary school.
“I knew I had worked hard throughout high school but receiving this life-changing scholarship felt unreal,” Placido shared. “It was an overall proud moment not just for me but my family as well.”
Source link
Source link
