Media Releases and Opportunities

May 6, 2025 (HALIFAX, N.S.) - Dalhousie Bachelor of Arts graduate Michelle Wang (BA’24) is one of 20 Canadians selected to join the fifth cohort of McCall MacBain Scholars at McGill University.

Established with a historic $200 million gift in 2019, the McCall MacBain Scholarships are Canada’s largest leadership-based scholarships for master’s and professional studies. Nearly 700 Canadian students applied for the opportunity, and the top 150 participated in the first round of interviews across the country and online. Afterwards, 88 finalists were invited to attend final interviews in Montreal in March.

Recipients were chosen based on exceptional character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength, and intellectual curiosity.

“We are thrilled to hear the news of Michelle’s selection for this prestigious scholarship,” said Dr. Kim Brooks, President and Vice-Chancellor of Dalhousie University. “Her story — from her academic accomplishments to her thoughtful work on the intersections of food, culture, and belonging — exemplifies the very best of what our students bring to the world. To see that work recognized at a national level is both affirming and moving.”

Michelle, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Combined Honours in Social Anthropology and International Development Studies, is currently working as a research assistant at the university. She co-led the Dalhousie/King's WUSC (World University Service of Canada) local committee and spent a summer researching non-governmental interventions for refugees in Jordan.

“I was so surprised when I learned the news! Receiving the full scholarship was not something I ever expected,” said Michelle. “Receiving this scholarship is an incredible privilege. It's also validation that the work I do matters and the issues I care about are worth fighting for.”

“Getting involved on campus, particularly with WUSC, changed my life. I initially started volunteering because I wanted to help build community and make my university a more welcoming place for newcomers -- but I realized throughout that I was also making meaningful friendships and building a sense of belonging for myself,” she said.

Michelle also contributed to the Dal Zero campaign and wrote articles for Her Campus, a student publication. In previous summers, she worked for several heritage museums and researched food insecurity among international students. Michelle wrote her honours thesis on food and cultural identity among second-generation immigrants in Halifax.

With the full scholarship, Michelle will enter the Master of Arts in Sociology (Thesis) program at McGill. She is interested in identity, migration, and economic justice.

“I truly did not think I was qualified for this opportunity and nearly didn’t apply! I encourage prospective applicants to take a leap of faith and be confident and sincere,” Michelle said. “No matter the outcome, the process is a great opportunity to reflect on your achievements and contributions.”

“These scholarships were created out of a belief that our world needs people who aspire to lead with purpose, empathy, integrity, and courage,” said Dr. Marcy McCall MacBain, Chair of the McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill. “We want to create opportunities for students to dream big, cultivate leadership, and contribute to something greater than themselves.”

“Every McCall MacBain Scholar has participated in six different interviews to earn this opportunity,” said Natasha Sawh, CEO of the McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill. “They have already demonstrated extraordinary potential for impact, and they’ll join a community of entrepreneurial change-makers from varied fields and walks of life.”

This year, the McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill also offered 95 entrance awards ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 each to top candidates not selected for the cohort. From Dalhousie, Sarah Rondeaux (BSc’25), Laura Colford (BHP’25), and Ernest Ng (BSc’23) earned entrance awards for their upcoming studies.

Applications will open in June 2025 for the 2026 cohort. More information about the McCall MacBain Scholarships can be found at mccallmacbainscholars.org.

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Media Contact:
Lindsay Dowling-Savelle
Communications Manager – Media Relations
Dalhousie University
Cell: (902) 222-8810
Email: lindsay.savelle@dal.ca