This year, the Max Bell School at 捆绑SM社区 has attracted three McCall MacBain Scholars to join our fourth cohort of Master of Public Policy 蝉迟耻诲别苍迟蝉.听
The program is a selective graduate scholarship that enables students to pursue a fully funded master鈥檚 or professional degree while connecting with mentors and participating in an intensive leadership development program.鈥�
鈥淥ur new scholars have taken different paths and will contribute unique perspectives to the scholarship community,鈥� said Natasha Sawh, Dean of the McCall MacBain Scholarships. 鈥淭he selection committees looked for leadership potential, a willingness to engage with diverse perspectives, and traits like empathy, integrity, and grit. Our process incorporates a wide range of volunteer readers and interviewers, who understand the candidates and their varied experiences.鈥澛�
Chris Ragan, director of the Max Bell School, is excited to have three McCall MacBain Scholars joining the School鈥檚 next class of MPP candidates. 鈥淩ecipients of the McCall MacBain Scholarship comprise Canada鈥檚 most intellectually curious and community driven young leaders,鈥� said Ragan. 鈥淲e at the Max Bell School are proud to count Sandrine, Linda, and Julian as part of our exceptional fourth class of MPP students.鈥�
Read how they got to where they are and why they decided to join the Max Bell School.
Linda B霉i
With a background in youth engagement, Linda B霉i has a history of organizing diverse projects; her work has addressed issues of climate justice, cultural identity, and leadership, among others. As a McCall MacBain Scholar, she is excited to work with and learn alongside a cohort of multi-disciplinary young people.聽聽
"While students pursuing further education to specialize in their respective fields can often become siloed from other disciplines鈥攁nd also diverse forms of knowledge鈥攖his scholarship program reaffirms the importance of information and resource sharing by people across sectors, governments, and organizations to create meaningful social change,鈥� explained B霉i. 鈥淚'm looking forward to learning with the future leaders of medicine, social movements, public policy, and much more.鈥澛�
Recipients of the McCall MacBain Scholarship may pursue studies in any graduate program at 捆绑SM社区. When asked why she was drawn to the Max Bell School, B霉i discussed how the MPP program will expand her capacity for change-making.聽
鈥淢y studies at the Max Bell School will expand my policymaking toolkit while broadening my horizons, helping me better contribute to interpersonal, institutional, and systems-levels change in the future.鈥澛�
Sandrine Desforges
Sandrine Desforges has an extensive track record working in student leadership and mental health, serving three terms with the Universit茅 de Montr茅al's federation of students' associations and championing the development of the Mental Health Commission of Canada鈥檚 National Standard for Mental Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students.聽聽
鈥淢y previous and current experiences helped me gain an understanding of how policy is developed and evaluated in the fields of higher education, mental health, and gender-based violence鈥攁ll of these play crucial roles in the fight to eliminate social inequities.鈥澛�
The McCall MacBain Scholarship has made possible the next step in her fight for better social policies.聽聽
鈥淚鈥檝e had my eye on the Max Bell School鈥檚 MPP program for a few years now,鈥� said Desforges, 鈥淪o I鈥檓 thrilled to be joining the class of 2023!鈥澛�
She went on: 鈥淚n my opinion, resolving systemic problems like racial inequities or the mental health crisis we鈥檙e facing requires knowing how the system works and working from within to change it. That鈥檚 what drew me to the MPP at the Max Bell School. With its hands-on approach, policy case studies, skills workshops, and Policy Lab, I strongly believe the MPP program will help me expand my knowledge and capabilities, enabling me to bring even more to the table on issues that really matter.鈥澛�
Julian Lam聽
Hailing from Richmond, BC, Julian Lam聽graduated this year from the University of British Columbia with a distinguished record of on-campus involvement. Lam contributed to UBC鈥檚 International Relations Student Association for over two years, creating a podcast, managing external relations, organizing a speaker series, and ultimately serving as the organization鈥檚 president. In addition, Lam served聽as editor-in-chief of the undergraduate journal of international affairs and advised an undergraduate case competition for climate policy solutions.聽
Regarding聽his fellow McCall MacBain Scholars, Lam is looking forward to connecting and making impactful change with such a talented group of young leaders. 鈥淭he mentorship opportunity really excites me as well,鈥澛燣am said, 鈥渁s the insights from these individuals will help me strengthen聽leadership qualities. 聽
Lam believes the Max Bell School鈥檚 MPP program will prove invaluable to his career trajectory.聽
鈥淭he program will impart to me聽the necessary tools to develop an intimate understanding of policymaking and development; it will help me learn about the stakeholders involved in policy decisions, not only through curriculum but also through engagement with my fellow classmates, who bring with them a diversity of real-world perspectives.鈥澛�
Applications for the 2023-2024 McCall MacBain Scholarship are . What advice does Lam offer to prospective applicants?聽
鈥淲hen writing your application, it鈥檚 important to be as genuine as possible in expressing your motivations for leadership. Capturing your identity as a leader is critical: how you lead others, how you motivate your teammates, and how you seek to inspire change.鈥澛�
Learn more and meet the full second class of McCall MacBain Scholars .
