Three outstanding McMaster students are finalists for Canada’s largest leadership-based scholarships for master’s and professional studies.

The McCall MacBain Scholarships were created by a landmark $200 million gift in 2019 by John and Marcy McCall MacBain, then the largest single donation in Canadian history.

Health Sciences student Alador Bereketab, Engineering student Paris Liu and Engineering and Humanities student Emily Nobes are among the 52 Canadian finalists selected from more than 700 applicants.

Each finalist was chosen based on their character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength and intellectual curiosity.

Designed to encourage purposeful leadership, the scholarships cover tuition and fees for a master’s or professional degree at McGill University, a living stipend during academic terms, summer funding options, mentorship, coaching, a leadership curriculum, and relocation support for scholars originating from outside Montreal.

Bereketab, Liu and Nobes will attend final interviews in Montreal next month.

“We need more leaders who act with integrity, kindness, curiosity, and courage,” said Dr. Marcy McCall MacBain, Chair of the McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill.

“We congratulate these students who have already distinguished themselves as the top candidates nationally and globally, and we thank the universities that endorsed them for this opportunity.”

Scholarship finalists

Alador Bereketab | Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences  

Bereketab leads the Black Health Sciences Association and co-founded the Black Health Conference, which has grown into the university’s largest student conference.

In 2021, Bereketab 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.

Bereketab has also contributed to the Ontario Ethics Bowl competition, organized free tutoring for Eritrean students in Ottawa, and has worked throughout her degree. She is an executive for McMaster’s interdisciplinary student research journal and has performed violin and piano weekly in the local community.

Bereketab sees music as a way to bridge cultures.

“Being a McCall MacBain Scholarship Finalist is a humbling honour that fills me with gratitude,” she said.

“This opportunity allows me to connect with and learn from the unique stories and experiences of inspiring individuals, all while having the freedom to reimagine the spaces I engage in without the weight of financial constraints.”

Bereketab is applying for master’s programs in medical sciences at McGill and hopes to improve equity in the health-care system.

Paris Liu | Civil Engineering  

Liu, in her final year of a BEng degree, is also varsity tennis player. She co-founded Students for Bike Share McMaster, and successfully initiated a referendum to create an affordable bike-share program.

Liu served as co-president of Zero Waste McMaster for three years, and founded and co-leads a sustainability working group within the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students.

She also co-created McMaster’s first climate change civil engineering course and has co-authored two peer-reviewed publications.

She trains volunteers for a community food program and volunteers with her church.

Liu is applying for the Master of Public Policy degree at McGill, where she wants to work on climate policy through civil service.

Emily Nobes | Concurrent bachelor’s degrees in Engineering Physics and Society; and English and 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.

Nobes founded 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.

“The collaborative, multidisciplinary culture at McMaster has continually encouraged me to reflect on who I am, who I want to be, and where I fit in in the world around me,” Nobes said.

“These practices are crucial as you work toward meaningful opportunities.”

Nobes is applying for master’s programs related to optics and photonics so she can pursue a career in quantum technology.

What’s next

Up to 30 McCall MacBain Scholars will be selected after final interviews with leaders from academia, business, government, and the social sector. Finalists not selected for the cohort will be eligible to receive $10,000 or $20,000 for studies at McGill.

“We are grateful to the more than 300 senior leaders who contribute their time to the decision-making process,” said Natasha Sawh, CEO of the McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill. “The interview process allows students to reflect on their experiences and motivations, and we hope each one comes away from the process with a better understanding of their capacity to lead and to strengthen communities.”

Regional Awards 

In addition to the scholarships, McMaster philosophy graduate Samidha Singhal and master of Social Work graduate Victoria Kaulback have each been selected to receive a $5,000 Regional Award in Ontario.

Singhal works as a Standardized Patient at McMaster, helping medical and social work students develop their patient interaction skills. She serves on the board of the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton, chairing the governance committee, and leads the agency’s youth council. She advises Y4Y Quebec on issues faced by non-francophone youth in the Quebec City region.

Singhal is applying to law school and master’s programs in political science and education.

Kaulback works with inmates as a Social Worker with the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General. She also volunteers with Kiwanis Homes, a non-profit social housing organization in Hamilton.

She chaired the South Mountain Community Planning Team, whose community engagement work earned an ONPHA Tenant Achievement Award in 2022, and now volunteers as a tenant engagement specialist.

Kaulback also co-chaired the Children’s Mental Health Ontario Youth Action Committee from 2019 to 2021, informing a successful advocacy campaign. In addition, she helps organize Queer Hockey Hamilton and serves as one of the team captains.