During this past July, the University of Regina welcomed a cohort consisting of 75 high school students in Grades 10 and 11 from across the country for a month-long immersion in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math, and Entrepreneurship (STEAM). They were here as part of the Shad Canada program— a month-long summer STEAM and entrepreneurship program that empowers high school students across Canada to explore, collaborate, and create change. Among the participants were Anishka Moonsamy from Nanaimo, British Columbia and Waaiz Israr from Ottawa, Ontario whose experiences show how hands-on learning and mentoring grow confidence, clarity, and community.

Delivered in partnership with Shad and facilitated by the Graduate Advanced Training & Entrepreneurship (GATE) Centre at the U of R, students experienced life on campus and learning. The program connected visiting students with U of R faculty, engaging in activities ranging from wearing lab goggles to late-night sketching, from taking field notes to creating fast prototypes, and community focused challenges.