OCSB student, Emily Zhou, awarded largest STEM scholarship in Canada

Emily Zhou, a Grade 12 student from St. Francis Xavier High School is one of 100 students from across Canada receiving the Schulich Leader Scholarship this year. In September she will be studying in the TrackOne Engineering program at the University of Toronto. With this $100,000 scholarship, Emily looks forward to being able to focus on her studies and serving in her new school community now that she doesn’t need to worry about her university expenses.

“Receiving such a prestigious scholarship has paved the way for me to better myself and the lives of those around me. It will fuel my motivation to work even harder to excel at the University of Toronto” said Emily.

Now in its 10th year, the Schulich Leader Scholarship invests in future leaders and world changers in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). “This group of 100 outstanding students 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 Seymour Schulich.

The response to this news has been nothing short of joyful. Emily remarked, “I had to re-read the letter multiple times to confirm that I wasn’t dreaming. I remember breaking down out of joy, all my hard work over the past few years has finally paid off. I am so grateful.”

The Ottawa Catholic School Board and St. Francis Xavier community are buzzing with excitement and pride over Emily’s accomplishment. Derek Spriet, Department Head of Student Services, said it best, “we are very proud of Emily achieving this award, she is an outstanding student here at St. FX.”