McMaster University students Alador Bereketab (BHSc Hons ’25) and Emily Nobes (BEng/BA ’25) are among 20 Canadians selected to join the fifth cohort of McCall MacBain Scholars at McGill University.

Established with a historic $200 million gift in 2019, the McCall MacBain Scholarships are Canada’s largest leadership-based scholarships for master’s and professional studies.

Nearly 700 Canadian students applied for the opportunity, and the top 150 participated in the first round of interviews across the country and online. Afterwards, 88 finalists were selected to attend final interviews in Montreal in March.

“I was overwhelmed in the best way,” Bereketab said about the news.

“I called my sister right away. Later that night, I celebrated with close friends who had supported me through the entire process. It was a moment of deep joy, gratitude, and reflection.”

Nobes was on campus when she received the call. “I ran as fast as I could to the quiet second basement of the science building,” said Nobes.

“Getting the good news felt exhilarating, like I was suddenly standing at the mouth of a new, promising path. I celebrated with a delicious bowl of pho.”

Recipients were chosen based on exceptional character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength, and intellectual curiosity.

Alador Bereketab

Bereketab, completing her final year of the Honours Health Sciences Program at McMaster, leads the Black Health Sciences Association and co-founded the Black Health Conference, which has become the university’s largest student conference.

In 2021, she co-created the Abel Mengistab Memorial Foundation and developed a panel for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board to help address the stigmatization of mental health in the Black community.

Building on this work, she contributed to the district’s mental health strategy and safe schools policy. In addition, she has contributed to the Ontario Ethics Bowl competition, organized free tutoring for Eritrean students in Ottawa, served on the executive of McMaster’s interdisciplinary student research journal, and worked throughout her degree.

She grew up studying classical violin and piano and has since delved into Afrobeats compositions. She aims to advocate for inclusive music education for Black youth and find ways to bridge cultures through music.

Bereketab, who would like to improve equity in the health-care system, will pursue a Master of Science in Family Medicine at McGill.

“This scholarship represents the freedom to fully commit to work that grounds me. It affirms the value of work in spaces where impact isn’t always visible,” Bereketab said.

“More than support, it offers possibility, the chance to think more expansively, collaborate with purpose, and continue building toward long-term, systemic change in health care.”

Emily Nobes

Nobes is completing concurrent bachelor’s degrees in Engineering Physics & Society and English & Cultural Studies.

Nobes co-founded the McMaster Quantum Club and secured a grant for optical equipment and resources to establish Canada’s first quantum technical student team. She has worked on quantum projects for the Canadian Space Agency and the University of Waterloo Institute for Quantum Computing.

In addition, Nobes is a founding member of the Climate Action Consultancy, a student group that provides environmental consulting services to small businesses. Through this initiative, she oversaw eight stakeholder projects and worked to establish community partnerships.

Nobes will pursue a Master of Science in Physics at McGill, studying optics and photonics so that she can pursue a career in quantum technology.

“Receiving a McCall MacBain scholarship means that I have a clear avenue to remain in touch with my interests in the Humanities,” Emily said.

“While I look forward to the time that having more financial freedom will lend to my curricular and technical work, I can’t wait to see what the program itself will bring to my other projects.”

About the McCall MacBain Scholarships

The scholarships were created out of a belief that the world needs people who aspire to lead with purpose, empathy, integrity, and courage, said Dr. Marcy McCall MacBain, chair of the McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill.

“We want to create opportunities for students to dream big, cultivate leadership, and contribute to something greater than themselves.”

Every McCall MacBain Scholar has participated in six different interviews to earn this opportunity, noted Natasha Sawh, CEO of the McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill.

“They have already demonstrated extraordinary potential for impact, and they’ll join a community of entrepreneurial change-makers from varied fields and walks of life.”

The McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill also offered 95 entrance awards ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 each to top candidates not selected for the cohort.

The following McMaster University students and a recent graduate earned entrance awards:

• Paris Liu – $10,000 McCall MacBain Finalist Award

• Samidha Singhal – $5,000 McCall MacBain Regional Award

• Victoria Kaulback – $5,000 McCall MacBain Regional Award

Applications will open in June 2025 for the 2026 cohort. Click here for more information about the McCall MacBain Scholarships.