How Air Cadets and Team Robotics Led Me to a $120,000 Scholarship

Age: 18
School: University of Waterloo
Program: Software engineering, co-op
Scholarship amount: $120,000

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a pilot and, in Grade 8, I joined the Air Cadets. I was also interested in computers and started learning programming languages, like Python and C++, in high school. In Grade 10, I met another air cadet at a flying camp, where we were both training for our pilot’s licences. He was also really interested in programming and inspired me to get involved in programming competitions. 

In Grade 11, I participated in a First Robotics team robotics competition. In addition to building a robot, my team developed an app to track other teams’ performances, which we used to scout and choose our optimal teammates for the finals. We qualified for the provincial championship. 

I learned about the Schulich Leader Scholarship, which is for students who plan to study STEM, from my air cadet friend. High schools can nominate one student per school. In December, I spent a week or two writing an essay about why I wanted to win the award. I found out a few weeks later that my school decided to nominate me. My teacher sent me a link to the Schulich application portal. I wrote a long essay about myself, as well as a few shorter ones. 

When you apply for the scholarship, you tell the committee which programs you’ve applied to. I’d applied to software engineering and computer engineering at Waterloo, the University of Toronto, McMaster and York. I started getting acceptance letters in March. In May, I got an email saying that I won the scholarship to study software engineering at Waterloo. 

 My biggest advice for high schoolers is to do what you love. Don’t just start hobbies or activities because you think they’ll look good on your applications. Scholarships come as a byproduct of pursuing your passions. I still fly with the local gliding club, and in the spring and fall, I go back and fly with the young cadets to inspire them.