BrainSTEM Alliance is building a network of ambassadors working toward a future where every person has the opportunity to be empowered by science, technology, engineering and math. Through our partnership, Shad awards three full scholarships to BrainSTEM Alliance participants each year.
We caught up with two of our BrainSTEM Alliance Shad Scholarship recipients to hear more about their Shad experiences.
Tell us more about yourself. Where are you from, what are you passionate about, or what were you involved in before coming to Shad?
I was born in Nigeria and moved to Canada in 2019. I’m passionate about my Afrocentric dance group AfroPulse, in which I co-founded. I am aiming for a career in medicine and I aspire to become an OB-GYN. Before coming to Shad I made sure to experience programs that differ from one another. I’ve participated in STEM programs such as the FLIGHT Camp Atlantic with BrainSTEM Alliance and Imhotep Legacy Academy’s Physics FUN camp. I’ve also dabbled in a bit of the legal system in the IB&M law Internship Pathways.
What’s something you discovered about yourself during Shad that surprised you?
I believe that Shad isn’t just a program focused on STEM. It literally touches all the aspects a young person needs to upgrade themselves and one of those aspects is confidence. I never really viewed myself as someone with a lot of confidence; to me having confidence meant being loud, talking to a lot of people, outshining everyone in the room and lastly; I believed you had to be born with it but that’s not truly what having confidence entails. As I stated before, I learnt that confidence is a skill you build one step at a time. Through my Shad speaks, networking with professionals and Shad alumni and my Shad DE project, I learnt that raising your hand when you don’t have the full answer yet, introducing yourself first, and pitching an idea you’re still working on because you believe it’s worth hearing lead to confidence. Every conversation I forced myself to start, every question I asked in a room full of people who seemed to know more than me, every time I presented something unfinished and let it be critiqued; those are the steps to building confidence. Through Shad, I finally began to understand that confidence isn’t a trait you’re born with, it’s something that you continuously work on, like a muscle.
What’s one thing you’d tell a future Shad participant before they arrive? What advice would you give to help them make the most of their Shad experience?
Say yes more than you say no. Talk to people outside your usual friend group, take advantage of every workshop and speaker, ask questions even when you’re nervous, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room, you just have to be willing to grow. And honestly, take lots of pictures and videos. The month goes by way faster than you expect.
Tell us more about yourself. Where are you from, what are you passionate about, or what were you involved in before coming to Shad?
Hi, I am Shelique, and I am from the Greater Toronto Area. I am passionate about public speaking, educating, and STEAM. Before coming to Shad, I was involved in robotics at my school, as well as volunteering with Community Living, where I had a blast running game nights. I also really enjoy swimming and painting, and trying new things and finding opportunities where I can learn something new.
What’s something you discovered about yourself during Shad that surprised you?
I discovered that I have a bigger capacity for people than I originally thought. Being around people almost 24/7 can be a lot, but I realized that I genuinely enjoy that social interaction. There were so many little moments like late-night ramen in the kitchen, bonding around and the comical way we would all compete for the laundry machines like our lives depended on it (when it definitely did not) that added to my happiness and helped me recharge.
What was something you tried at Shad that you never imagined yourself doing before? Whether it was an activity, project, presentation, or experience, what made it memorable?
I never imagined myself doing a dance battle with only about 30 minutes to prepare. I am someone who likes trying new things, but I also usually like having enough time to prepare, and 30 minutes is definitely not what I would consider adequate preparation for a dance battle! What made it memorable was that everyone just went for it. It was a reminder that you do not have to be good at something for it to be worth doing. I was with with the right people, so doing something I was not very good at was incredibly fun. I got more out of putting myself out there than by sitting back.