Thirty-eight Canadian high school students who have received Excellence Awards from the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation are attending McMaster this year.

The award winners, who passed a series of selection criteria that included academic excellence, commitment to community, proven leadership qualities and an interest in innovation, represent some of the top students in the country.

“The institution can be proud that it has attracted these enthusiastic, bright young men and women,” says Liza Jamani, financial aid administrator, Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships. “The numbers are indicative of the exciting academic programs that the University offers.”

Jamani comments that these days, post-secondary education is an investment. “We are extremely pleased that such a high calibre of students have chosen to make that investment here at McMaster.”

The foundation, which received over 7,500 applications, selected 889 students for one of three types of awards. At the “local” level, the student receives a one-time, $4,000 award; a “provincial” award is for a $4,000 amount, renewable for four years; the “national” award is a $4,800 grant, also renewable for four years.

Of the 889 recipients, McMaster attracted five national winners, 10 from the provincial category, and 23 local award winners.

Established in 1998 by the federal government, the Excellence Awards program continues to 2010.