The next generation of STEM pioneers: meet U of T’s 2023 Schulich Leaders
Nov 1, 2023
U of T’s 2023 Schulich Scholars.
Lucas Hilden was a Grade 8 student in the rural town of Falmouth, Nova Scotia, when he developed an aid that uses facial recognition technology to help Alzheimer’s patients recognize their loved ones.
Inspired by his grandfather, who suffers from the disease, the project won him a gold medal and innovation award at the Canada-Wide Science Fair that year. “That experience showed me that the world of STEM is definitely where I belong and where I could make the most impact on society,” says the now-17-year-old, who is one of just 100 students from across Canada to win a coveted 2023 Schulich Leader Scholarship – including 10 now studying at the University of Toronto.
“That experience showed me that the world of STEM is definitely where I belong and where I could make the most impact on society,” says the now-17-year-old, who is one of just 100 students from across Canada to win a coveted 2023 Schulich Leader Scholarship – including 10 now studying at the University of Toronto.
Awarded to incoming undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional promise and leadership in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and entrepreneurship, the Schulich Leader Scholarships are designed to foster the next generation of global STEM pioneers.
For Hilden, who started three businesses in high school while nurturing his love of STEM and hosting coding camps for children, winning the scholarship reassured him that he was on the right path.
Schulich Leaders are extraordinary young people with big dreams, big ideas and unparalleled potential to change the world.
“I read the Schulich Leader Scholarship requirements and thought, ‘Wow.’ If I could write scholarship criteria to describe what I’m good at and what I do, it would literally be this scholarship,” he says. “When I found out I had won it, it felt like an important confirmation that I’m doing what I should be doing.”
Schulich Leaders are extraordinary young people with big dreams, big ideas and unparalleled potential to change the world.
The Schulich Leader Scholarships are an investment in Canada’s brightest minds
The Schulich Leader Scholarships were established in 2012 by businessman Seymour Schulich, who credits his success to a scholarship that enabled him to attend McGill University’s first-ever MBA class in 1965.
Valued at $120,000 each for students pursuing engineering programs and $100,000 each for science, technology and mathematics students, the scholarships cover the total cost of an undergraduate education – allowing Schulich Leaders to focus entirely on pursuing their goals.
“Schulich Leaders are extraordinary young people with big dreams, big ideas and unparalleled potential to change the world,” says University of Toronto president Meric Gertler.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome the newest Schulich Leaders to U of T, and we could not be more grateful to Seymour Schulich and the Schulich Foundation for investing in the ambitions of these remarkable students.”
This year, the 10 Schulich Leader Scholarship winners attending U of T come from across Canada – from Nova Scotia to British Columbia – and are pursuing engineering, computer science and actuarial science programs. Their interests range from robotics to artificial intelligence, programming to entrepreneurship in STEM and beyond.
Schulich Leader Tiana Kayemba hopes to inspire other young women to follow in her footsteps
Like Hilden, Tiana Kayemba – another 2023 Schulich Leader Scholarship winner at U of T – developed a love of STEM early on.
After spending much of the pandemic fostering her passion for STEM learning in isolation, Kayemba decided to apply for an executive position with her school’s STEM Club in Grade 11 to connect with others and broaden her horizons.
I think a lot of the other Schulich Leaders will agree that having someone believe in you and your potential makes a huge difference.
“I became the Chief Visionary Officer of the STEM Club, which allowed me to participate in STEM activities every single week and work closely with my peers and teachers,” says the recent graduate from Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School in Burlington.
I think a lot of the other Schulich Leaders will agree that having someone believe in you and your potential makes a huge difference.
In Grade 12, Kayemba became the club’s CEO – a role she took on in addition to her positions as Student Council Co-Prime Minister, CEO of Business Leadership and Co-Leader of Book Club, among others. She began leading initiatives to engage younger students in STEM learning, including arranging visits to local Grade 7 and 8 classes and partnering with Code Ninjas, which helps elementary school students build coding skills through a game-based curriculum.
Setting her sights on U of T’s computer science program, Kayemba applied for the Schulich Leader Scholarship with encouragement from her teachers.
“I wasn’t expecting to get it – I know there’s huge competition for the scholarship,” she says. “When I got the news, I was shocked. It took a while for it to settle in.”
Kayemba says receiving the scholarship was a game-changer.
“Beyond allowing me to focus completely on my learning, the scholarship has shown me that someone actually believes in me, believes I’m able to make a difference,” she reflects. “I think a lot of the other Schulich Leaders will agree that having someone believe in you and your potential makes a huge difference.”
For U of T’s Schulich Leaders, the future starts now
Sandy Welsh, U of T’s Vice Provost, Students, says it’s been inspiring to witness the impact of the Schulich Leader Scholarships on some of Canada’s brightest students year after year.
“These scholarships open doors to unlimited opportunity for some of our country’s most ambitious and brilliant young minds,” she says.
“They not only provide the financial support students need to pursue a U of T education, but they also come with an incredible network of peers, mentors and supporters and offer access to world-class faculty and leading industry experts. We are incredibly grateful to the Schulich Foundation for helping these future STEM leaders start their journeys here at U of T.”
These scholarships open doors to unlimited opportunity for some of our country’s most ambitious and brilliant young minds.
Hilden, who is studying mechanical engineering, isn’t sure yet what his future career will look like, but he knows he wants to combine his interests in business and engineering.
“I’m really interested in the entrepreneurship side of things, and I have big goals for the future,” he says. “There are so many opportunities in the city and at the University to explore the different paths available to me. I’m just getting started.”
These scholarships open doors to unlimited opportunity for some of our country’s most ambitious and brilliant young minds.
Kayemba also hopes to follow her passions and decide on a career path once she’s a little further along in her education. But she knows one thing for sure: she wants to inspire other young women to follow in her footsteps.
“One of my goals in life is to inspire other young women, specifically young Black women, to consider pursuing an education and career in STEM,” she says. “And I think the opportunities afforded to me by the Schulich Leader Scholarship will enable me to do that.”
Meet the 2023 University of Toronto Schulich Leaders
Adam Omarali, Engineering Science
A graduate of the Crescent School in Toronto, Adam Omarali is passionate about developing innovative solutions to improve lives and build stronger communities. As an apprentice with the Moonshot Factory in California, he helped create a design solution to reduce the environmental impact of fast fashion and has worked on innovations to reduce doctor and nurse fatigue.
Celina Chen, Computer Science
Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, Celina Chen brings creative thinking to her studies in computer science at U of T. As a student at Sir Winston Churchill High School, she was an executive on the Math Club and the Creative Writing Club and the designer for her school newspaper, the Churchill Chronicles. In the summer of 2022, she worked with a summer camp teaching middle and high school students to design, build and program robots.
Chloe Lee, Computer Science
As a student at Pierre Elliott Trudeau High School in Markham, Ontario, Chloe Lee honed her computer science skills as a youth programming instructor and web developer. She undertook two internships at RBC as an innovation developer.
Lucas Hilden, Mechanical Engineering
A graduate of Avon View High School in Falmouth, Nova Scotia, Lucas Hilden won a national award for facial recognition technology he developed for Alzheimer’s patients, ran coding camps for children and started three businesses when he was in Grade 10. Hilden brings his dual passion for STEM and entrepreneurship to his mechanical engineering studies at U of T.
Manroop Kalsi, Engineering Science
Passionate about robotics, Manroop Kalsi hopes to leverage her education in engineering science to further the development of the field of robotics. As a student at Sandalwood Heights Secondary School in Brampton, she pursued research into neuro-prosthetics. She worked as an Innovator and Activator with The Knowledge Society, which offers “Olympic-level” training for future innovators and CEOs.
Mark Xiang, Computer Science
A graduate of Shawnigan Lake School in British Columbia, Mark Xiang is the first person in his family to pursue a four-year university degree. Demonstrating outstanding academic achievement in mathematics, science and history, he hopes to launch a business leveraging AI, such as developing autonomous vehicles or automated management systems.
Samantha Sedran, Engineering
While engaging in robotics competitions as a student at Bayview Glen School in Toronto, Samantha Sedran developed a passion for motivating young girls to pursue STEM. In addition to fundraising to send girls to robotics camp, volunteering with robotics programs and engaging with industry leaders, she also launched the GirlsCrewClub – an all-female robotics club now running at one of Toronto’s elementary schools with the highest needs.
Sanjit Neil Samanta, Actuarial Science
As he pursues his undergraduate degree in actuarial science and mathematics at U of T, Sanjit Neil Samanta also hopes to advance his leadership in the non-profit sector and connect with the University’s sports community. As a high school student at Western Canada College in Calgary, Samanta co-founded a youth-led non-profit that engaged marginalized youth in community-building sports camps.
Serewaya Latif, Computer Engineering
Serewaya Latif brings a wide range of skills and interests to her computer engineering studies at U of T. A graduate of Dunbarton High School in Pickering, Ontario, Latif has worked as a freelance full-stack developer and an innovation developer intern at RBC. She is also the founder of Resource ASK, an organization that connects Black entrepreneurs to the business resources they need to succeed.
Tiana Kayemba, Computer Science
A graduate of Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School in Burlington, Ontario, Tiana Kayemba facilitated outreach initiatives to engage younger students in STEM learning as CEO of her school’s STEM Club. Now studying computer science at U of T, she hopes to inspire emerging generations of young Black women to consider the possibilities of an education and career in STEM.
