Shad Alum Daniel Urquhart’s Journey of Authenticity and Leading with Pride in Tech
Shad alum Daniel Urquhart deeply values the impact of role models. Reflecting on his experience working in tech as a gay man, he credits his openly LGBTQ2S+ colleagues—especially those in leadership—for showing him that being authentic was not only accepted but valued. Now, as Director of Software Programs at Alert Labs, Daniel is committed to […]
Shad Canada Marks 45 Years of Impact With New Report: A Blueprint for Canada’s Innovation Economy
Waterloo, ON — In celebration of Innovation Week, Shad Canada is proud to release its 45 Years of Impact report, a milestone reflection on the national program’s legacy of empowering the next generation of Canadian innovators. Since 1980, Shad has transformed the lives of over 24,000 high school students through immersive, hands-on STEAM and entrepreneurship […]
Tim Jackson to be awarded honorary doctorate recognizing years of achievement
Tim Jackson (BA’92), FCPA, FCA, a sessional lecturer at Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business, will be awarded an honorary doctorate at this year’s spring convocation. Since graduating from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Accounting, Jackson has had significant success in the entrepreneurial world. Some of his notable achievements include co-founding Tech […]
Engineering Change: Luna Yin’s Journey from Shad to Harvard
When Luna Yin arrived on campus as a freshman environmental engineering student at Harvard University last fall, she was filled with excitement as she took in her new surroundings at one of North America’s most iconic academic institutions. Though she had long been working towards a post-secondary experience that included time in a prestigious program, […]
RDP & Shad Canada Sign MOU to Empower the Leaders of Tomorrow
Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) has become the first polytechnic to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Shad Canada, a summer enrichment program for high-achieving high school students, to advance STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math). “We are very excited to partner with Shad Canada and provide grade 10 and 11 high school students with […]
Shad Alum shares how he’s using his skills as a Software Engineer to harness AI to improve Canadian healthcare
When Michel Bourgeois was diagnosed with an incurable health condition, he experienced firsthand the shortcomings of the country’s overextended healthcare system. Rather than accept the status quo, he saw an opportunity to put his skills as a software engineer to work and created Delphi, an AI powered healthcare tool that streamlines the diagnostic and referral […]
How One Shad Parent’s Donation is Providing Opportunity for Deserving Students
For Meghan Sharir, donating to Shad carries an emotional resonance that stems from her own experience witnessing the program’s impact on her daughter, Zoë, and the lives of the students with whom Zoë shared one of the most significant summers of her life. Shad Donor Meghan Sharir with her daughter, Zoë, who attended Shad in […]
Shad Alum shares how social good motivates her work in AI
Olivia Cao always aspired to contribute something meaningful to the world. Now as a software engineer helping to develop the latest in AI technology at Meta, she’s making a difference through her work on technological advances shaping the future. Shad 2013 Alum, Olivia Cao She hadn’t always seen herself in the tech field. Inspired by […]
Shad Alum shares the importance of Black Leadership and how it shapes his STEAM goals
As Vice President of the Black Student Association at his high school in Brampton, Ontario, Adrian McCalla has spent weeks preparing for Black History Month. Celebrating the contributions of Black Canadians to the country and the world is something he tries to do every day, but having the opportunity every February to celebrate Black Excellence […]
Shad Alum Colin McCready shares why he returns to Shad every summer as a team member
One of Colin McCready’s favourite things about working as a doctor in a rural area is the continuous learning opportunities it presents. In his role at an urgent care clinic in a remote part of Alberta, he regularly encounters a wide range of health issues that expand his knowledge base and understanding of medical diagnostics, […]
Shad program director passes torch, new lead to bring ocean focus in 2025
The Shad program has thrived at Memorial for more than two decades. Hundreds of high school students from across Canada gain life-changing experiences during the annual summer educational experience. The program’s success is no accident. Every year leaders, staff, faculty volunteers and others invest substantial time and energy to ensure every Shad student has the opportunity for […]
Meet Raina Garland, Shad2024 Alum and Recipient of Shad’s Entrance Scholarship for Indigenous Students
Meet Raina Garland, Shad2024 Alum and Recipient of Shad’s Entrance Scholarship for Indigenous Students
