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University of New Brunswick student Reid Sutherland is in the running for the McCall MacBain Scholarships, Canada’s first comprehensive leadership-based scholarship program for master’s and professional studies.

The scholarship enables students to pursue a fully funded graduate degree at McGill University while participating in an intensive leadership development program. McCall MacBain Scholars are matched with mentors, advisors and coaches who accompany them on their journey.

Sutherland is among 50 Canadian finalists representing 28 universities at a final round of interviews from March 24 to 26. During the interviews, she will meet with leaders from academia, business, government and the social sector. Final interviews are planned to take place in Montréal, with travel costs covered.

Nearly 700 people applied for the McCall MacBain Scholarships this year, and 146 participated in regional interviews with local leaders in November before the 50 finalists were selected. Up to 20 McCall MacBain Scholars will be chosen after final interviews.

Finalists are chosen based on their character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength and intellectual curiosity. They include aspiring dentists, engineers, entrepreneurs, community leaders, scientists, lawyers, policymakers, doctors, public health specialists and more.

Sutherland helped create Girls STEM Up, a conference series for female-identifying students interested in science, technology, engineering and math. She planned two conferences, created bursaries, and raised both funds and awareness for the initiative. More recently, she led a team organizing Reaching Higher, a conference connecting Atlantic Canadian researchers and fellow students at the University of New Brunswick. She also plays on the UNB women’s rugby team and volunteers as a peer mentor.

She has worked part-time as a student orientation leader and teaching assistant. She spent two summers working as a field technician for the Canadian Rivers Institute and hopes to pursue a master’s degree in biology or animal science at McGill.

"I am genuinely giddy to be a finalist for the McCall MacBain Scholarships," said Sutherland. "Every time I think about it, I become exhilarated all over again at this opportunity to meet the other finalists, experience Montréal, and continue developing my dreams for the future.

"Volunteering on campus and in my community has enriched my university experiences in so many ways. I have met so many incredibly inspiring friends and mentors this way, and I will treasure every connection I have made through teams, conferences and volunteering at UNB long after I graduate."

“The McCall MacBain Scholarship finalists have demonstrated empathy, integrity and courage in a rapidly changing world,” said Natasha Sawh, dean of the McCall MacBain Scholarships. “While their undergraduate experiences may have differed from what they initially expected, these students have dedicated their time and talents to a wide array of initiatives. They have distinguished themselves through their commitment to meaningful social change.”

The McCall MacBain Scholarship covers tuition and fees for the program of study, a living stipend of $2,000 per month, mentorship, coaching and leadership development opportunities.

Finalists who are not selected as McCall MacBain Scholars will be eligible for a $10,000 Finalist Award for their studies at McGill.

The McCall MacBain Scholarships program has also offered 30 awards of $5,000 each to promising candidates who distinguished themselves at regional interviews. UNB student Ashlee Morrell earned a Regional Award, which is tenable at any public university in Canada.

The scholarships are the result of a landmark $200-million gift, which at the time was the largest single donation in Canadian history, by John and Marcy McCall MacBain. The scholarship program will expand internationally over the next decade, with nearly 300 McCall MacBain Scholars selected by 2030. Applications for the first global cohort, comprising 20 Canadians and 10 international students, will open in June.

An information session will be held on Thursday, Feb. 17, which will include a Q&A with Reid Sutherland.

Media contact: Kristen d’Entremont