Katherine Li, a 2018 D.P. Todd Secondary School graduate currently studying at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, is one of 50 finalists for a prestigious Canadian scholarship.
The McCall MacBain Scholarship is a full graduate scholarship for aspiring community leaders to attend McGill University. In March, Li will advance to final interviews in Montréal for the program’s second cohort.
If she is selected as one of only 20 McCall MacBain Scholars, the award will cover her master’s program tuition and fees, plus a living stipend of $2,000 per month and a relocation grant. For a two-year master’s degree, the tuition, fees, and living stipend could be approximately $70,000. In addition, McCall MacBain Scholars are given opportunities to connect with mentors and to develop their leadership skills.
If not selected as a McCall MacBain Scholar, Li is still eligible to receive a $10,000 finalist award.
She was nominated by her university and shortlisted from a pool of nearly 700 Canadian applicants following a rigorous application and interview process which considers character, community engagement, leadership potential, and entrepreneurial drive on top of academic strength. She already participated in a round of regional interviews online.
Li is completing her undergraduate studies in civil engineering at Duke. She recently co-founded and leads Operation Climate, a non-profit organization that has taught 40 high school students about climate communication. She has also completed two research internships and plans to pursue a Master of Science in civil engineering, with a focus on environmental engineering innovation.