Impact of Giving

Schulich Leaders enjoy a broad range of opportunities

Author: Development and Donor Relations

Posted on Jan 15, 2025

Category: Scholarships and Bursaries , News and Events


Halfway through their first year, UNB’s newest Schulich Leaders are off to a great start.

Benjamin Bilsky and Jacob Ledoux are UNB’s 2024-25 recipients of the Schulich Leader Scholarships, Canada’s most coveted STEM scholarships. Each year, one hundred Schulich Leader Scholarships are awarded to entrepreneurial-minded high school graduates enrolling in a science, technology, engineering or math program at 20 partner universities across Canada. Schulich Leader engineering scholarships are valued at $120,000 over four years, while the program’s science and math scholarships are valued at $100,000.

Benjamin BilskyFor Benjamin, the Schulich Leader Scholarship has given him the opportunity to study a broader range of interesting subjects than he would otherwise have felt able to pursue. He gives the example of an elective class in game design in his first semester, which he particularly enjoyed. “Without the award I would never take opportunities like it,” Benjamin said, “because I would be too worried about getting my tuition’s worth and making sure I graduated smoothly, not to mention the lack of free time due to having to work at least part time.” Attending SLX, the annual conference for Schulich Leaders, was one of his favourite memories of the semester. “I'm very thankful to be able to pursue my interests and grow my academic and professional career with the support of UNB and the Schulich Foundation,” he said.

Jacob Ledoux, left, with UNB President Paul MazerolleJacob agrees that the Schulich Leader Scholarship is allowing him to pursue a wide range of interests. “It's nice to know you have the financial freedom to focus entirely on school without the added stress of working,” he said. After taking most of his first semester to ensure he had a handle on his academics before overloading himself, Jacob is now taking advantage of his freedom to branch out. He is exploring potential work-study opportunities through the faculty of engineering, and also looking for a new sport to try – “my high school had limited options,” he said. He is looking forward to the experience of an engineering co-op in the coming months: “I like the idea of taking a break from school, getting experience and making connections.” 

Both Benjamin and Jacob have thrived academically in their first semester, with GPAs in excess of 4.0!

The 2025 deadline for high schools submitting Schulich Leader nominees is January 29.

Learn more about the Schulich Leader Scholarships.