Canada’s largest undergraduate STEM scholarships support entrepreneurial-minded students
Learning how to put AI to use for the greater good and helping Canadian farmers with food sustainability are the goals of two Schulich Leaders who will begin their journeys at the University of Guelph this fall.
Aryan Thakur will pursue computer engineering and Matteo Volpini will study agriculture with the support of Schulich Leader Scholarships, Canada’s most prestigious STEM scholarship program.
Schulich Leader Scholarships provide $100,000 for a science, technology or math degree, or $120,000 for an engineering degree, for entrepreneurial-minded students.
U of G is proud to be part of the prestigious scholarship program as it’s a testament to the University’s ability to attract some of Canada’s most competitive STEM students who aspire to careers in tech, engineering and applied research.
“As we celebrate 15 years of Schulich Leaders, we are proud to have supported more than 1,000 exceptional Canadian students pursuing STEM degrees at our country’s top universities,” says Judy Schulich, president, The Schulich Foundation.
“Schulich Leader Scholarships help attract and retain outstanding talent, empowering the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. By supporting their ambition and creating the conditions for them to succeed, we can ensure their innovations drive Canada’s future prosperity.”
Meet the Schulich Leaders
Aryan Thakur
A Schulich Leader Scholarship is life changing, says Aryan Thakur, whose interest in artificial intelligence and machine learning drew him to U of G’s Computer Engineering program in the College of Engineering.
As part of a generation who grew up alongside technology, Thakur knew early on he wanted to be part of an industry revolutionizing the world. “AI and machine learning are going to provide a lot of opportunity,” he says, “and I want to align myself with that.”
Eager to launch his own start-up, Thakur says his program’s co-op stream is the kind of experiential learning that will build a foundation for him, from which to grow his own ideas. He knows there is work to do in the field. AI is not yet functioning at 100%, and so he is dedicated to being part of improving it, ultimately putting it to use for good. “I want to help people,” he says, “using technology to have a meaningful impact.”
Being a Schulich Leader is about more than just financial support, he says. “The ability to network with fellow Scholars really does help with job opportunities or even just aligning with others going through the same life transition.”
Matteo Volpini
It was while growing up on a small hobby farm learning tree pruning and how to pick cherries and peaches and apples that Matteo Volpini learned the kind of devastation disease can bring to plants and the crops of farmers. The years his family lost nearly 200 trees to disease, pests and the environment, he started researching where he could study plant science and food sustainability.
What he found was the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture program at the Ontario Agricultural College.
“I’m excited to learn more about gene-editing technology, gain more plant knowledge and learn how disease affects plants, how pesticides and fungicides can help prevent these things,” he says.
His goals don’t end there. “I’d like to start a business dedicated to global food sustainability that supports Canadian farmers by developing resilient crop varieties that can better withstand environmental stressors like pests, disease and unpredictable weather.”
As a Schulich Leader, he joins a community of STEM students with similar interests across a broad spectrum of disciplines. “It’s such a great resource to have,” he says. “There are so many opportunities to learn from each other or to collaborate.”
About Schulich Leader Scholarships Canada
Recognizing the increasing importance and impact that STEM disciplines have on the prosperity of future generations, businessman and philanthropist Seymour Schulich established this $200 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 and United Jewish Appeal, 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 entrepreneurial leadership and financial need.