Waterloo Student Wins Schulich Leader Scholarship

Blyth Academy Waterloo student Joel Pollack has been awarded A Schulich Leader Scholarship worth $100,000 to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan. Joel was nominated by Guidance Counsellor Linda Pernfuss and Principal Kathy Young for his outstanding academic and extra-curricular achievements, he will be entering the Engineering program this fall.

Schulich Leader Scholarships are the largest STEM scholarships in Canada. This scholarships is only awarded to 50 students from across Canada each year.

When asked how it felt when he found out he was selected, Joel had this to say,

“Hearing that I’d been given a Schulich Leaders award felt like getting plucked out of the post-secondary reality I was expecting and placed into a completely different reality in the blink of an eye. It was so sudden and unexpected. It felt like ‘fake news’. I didn’t believe it at first. I double and triple checked to make sure it was true!”

How will winning this scholarship help you reach your goals?

“The Schulich Leaders scholarship is especially exciting because it values effort and strategic risk-taking, not just performance. It means I have the freedom to explore everything USask offers based on my own curiosity and interest. I can go beyond the courses I’m already good at and try new things without fear.
The magical goal was always to come out of school as close to debt-free as I could. Without a doubt, this award means I’ll be financially stable sooner. It also means I can plan long term for things like housing, and how to stay connected with my family in Ontario.”

Linda Pernfuss, Blyth Academy Waterloo’s Guidance counsellor and one of Joel’s nominators, shared these words about Joel’s selection,

“Blyth Academy Waterloo is a very small private school completing its second year in operation. The number of students eligible to apply for the Schulich scholarship is so much smaller than larger high schools, that I believe this makes Joel’s accomplishment even more significant. It is a huge recognition and honour for our school and the work we are doing in the STEM disciplines. Joel’s accomplishment demonstrates the importance of self-confidence for all students as they work to achieve their goals. Prestigious nation-wide awards such as the Schulich Leader Scholarship are within the reach of these exceptional young people.”

We are so proud of all of Joel’s accomplishments and so excited for him as he takes this next step in his life. Congratulations Joel!