York University is proud to have welcomed a record six Schulich Leaders to campus this September, recipients of Canada's largest, most prestigious Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) scholarship. The students say they are beyond thrilled to receive the generous scholarship that will allow them to focus on their studies at the Lassonde School of Engineering at York without worrying about financial pressures, and give them the skills they need to apply their technical and creative talents towards positive social change.
Selected from a pool of more than 350,000 candidates across Canada, over 1,400 graduating high school students were nominated, with 100 top recipients receiving the coveted award.
York University welcomed three times as many recipients in 2025 than it typically has in years past. Recipients pursuing an engineering degree will receive $120,000, while those pursuing a science, technology or math degree will receive $100,000.
"Schulich Leader Scholarships enable Canada's top universities to attract and retain our exceptional STEM talent here at home, empowering them to become the innovators and entrepreneurs our country needs. When these scholars go on to drive prosperity and strengthen our economy, Canada must ensure the right economic conditions exist so they can build their promising futures here. Supporting their entrepreneurial ambition is essential for turning Canadian ingenuity into lasting national success," says program founder Seymour Schulich.
Jane Goodyer, dean of the Lassonde School of Engineering, echoes this excitement: "We're absolutely delighted to welcome six Schulich Leaders to Lassonde this year the most we've ever had. Each of these students brings not only academic strength, but also creativity, resilience and a strong drive to make a difference. At Lassonde, we give our students the space and support to turn bold ideas into real-world impact, and I can't wait to see how this remarkable group will use this platform to shape the future of engineering, science and society."
Eleen Aliyeva
Eleen Aliyeva is a graduate of Bradford DHS in Bradford ON where she was president of the student council, vice-president and co-founder of the coding club. She originally hails from North York and is entering a computer science program at York this fall.
"From a young age, I always had a fascination with technology, and I always asked myself questions like, how does this work?' and how is this possible?" says Aliyeva. "As I grew up, I found out how science, engineering, mathematics were behind it all."
Aliyeva, who also speaks French, hopes she can use her education to help and inspire women in STEM and sees herself creating software that has a positive impact on people, whether that be an app, game, or tool, and is excited to work towards that goal in a community of like-minded students at York. She is grateful to the Schulich Foundation for the scholarship that will relieve her from worrying about financing her education.
Wilamina Both
Wilamina Both was born in Toronto and grew up in Maple and Woodbridge. She developed a passion for STEM through her involvement in the gifted program at her school and a bridge-building competition, as well as the travels she undertook while playing hockey with the North York Storm.
"It got me interested from a very young age in maps. Learning about all the different ways to get somewhere, such a giant network, I found it so interesting," says Both. "Hockey was really the place I first found confidence and leadership skills, as it was really empowering for me as a woman to be in that male-dominated space, and in that sense helped prepare me for a career in engineering."
Both spent her summer after graduation working as a hockey and skating coach and will continue to play hockey for the Mississauga Hurricanes during her time at York. Having completed the York Region Transportation Youth Ambassador program in her final year at Father Bressani Catholic High School, she plans on studying civil engineering at York with a focus on transportation planning.
Edward Drobnis
Edward Drobnis describes learning that he would be a Schulich Leader as a "surreal" experience.
"It wasn't just a scholarship, but also a recognition of my dedication to STEM and my efforts to make it more accessible, especially for underrepresented groups."
As a graduate of Alexander Mackenzie High School in Richmond Hill, he joined his school robotics and coding clubs in the ninth grade. Last year, he won his first hackathon, and since then, Drobnis has helped with organizing hackathons and fundraising to ensure the events were free and accessible.
Drobnis is enrolled in the Digital Technologies program at York University's new Markham Campus, a unique program where Drobnis will combine fulltime paid work at Shopify while he obtains his four-year degree.
"I find it really cool that you gain experience by working at a real company. And I love the innovation as well as the collaboration and mentorship it provides."
Herman Isayenka
Originally from Belarus, Herman Isayenka came to Canada at the age of 2 with his family. He grew up in Newmarket and credits his father for his early interest in STEM.
"My dad was a software engineer for my whole life," says Isayenka, who also speaks Russian. "When I was seven years old, I began my first coding experience with block codes."
Isayenka continued learning to program, focusing on learning Python and Java during the COVID-19 pandemic, and later worked on projects collaborating with university students. A graduate of Dr. John M. Denison Secondary School, Isayenka hopes to work on projects involving AI, robotics and computer vision during his engineering studies at York and hopes to apply this to a major societal problem post-graduation.
He describes feeling a mixture of happiness, gratitude and humbleness when learning he would be a recipient of the scholarship.
Rehan Jetha
Rehan Jetha is from the Ottawa South neighbourhood of Greenboro with parents from Kenya and Tanzania who trace their ethnic heritage back to India. A recipient of the Governor General's Academic Medal, Principal's Award and a writer's award from his time at Canterbury High School, the engineering student credits much of his success to the Ismaili Muslim community he grew up in that instilled values of volunteerism, getting a strong education and helping the most vulnerable in society.
Growing up in a multi-generational home with his parents and grandparents sparked his early interest in how STEM could be applied to better the lives of people, with Jetha working on a home automation system for his grandparents at 12 years old in order to address some of the mobility issues they were experiencing.
"I was able to teach them simple English phrases to use the home automation service and that made their lives so much easier," says Jetha, who also speaks French and Kutchi, a language spoken in Gujarat, India where his grandparents are from. "That really hooked me, that human aspect of STEM."
Anthony Tu
Anthony Tu was curious about how things worked from a very young age, taking apart his toys with a screwdriver to understand how they are put together. A graduate of Chaminade College School in North York where he developed a strong interest in robotics, he credits the encouragement and mentorship of his teachers with helping him become a Schulich Leader.
"A lot of teachers pushed me to take opportunities, especially in the STEM field, whether it was robotics or networking," says Tu, now studying computer science at York. "Without those opportunities, I don't think I would have had as much experience as I have now."
Tu, who also speaks Cantonese, was attracted to York for the educational opportunities and also the proximity to the community he grew up in. He would like to apply his studies and interest in robotics in a way where he is able to give back.
"I want to give them, not only the same opportunities, but more opportunities to explore future career paths."
This story was originally featured in YFile, York University's community newsletter.
