Tell us a little about yourself:

My name is Daniela Grottoli, I’m trilingual in Italian, English and French. I’m a hockey player, rower and runner from Sudbury, Ontario. My love of sports led me to found the KidSport Sudbury Chapter, to help more kids in my community enjoy sports like I did!

What does this scholarship mean to you?

To me, the Wolf Scholars Program is more than a testament of the Wolf Cooper Foundation’s generosity. Like Shad, it is a commitment to advancing interdisciplinary learning by bringing people with diverse interests from different backgrounds together to shape our future.

What do you hope to do after you graduate, and how do you see yourself contributing to your community?

After graduation, I hope to work in law and public policy. I am curious about the regulations that shape the Canadian healthcare system, and how they can be advanced to be truly equitable for all. I am also curious about how technological advancements can be used to bring advanced healthcare and diagnostic medicine to more rural and remote communities. 

What did you take away from your Shad experience, and did any of those lessons come up during the Wolf Scholar selection process?

At Shad, I learned the value of standing up and stepping back. Sometimes, the best leaders are not the most outspoken people in the room. Carrying this lesson with me into the Wolf Scholars Selection Process, I was able to actively listen to others and truly be present in the experience.

What would you want to say to someone just starting the Shad2026 program?

To quote Shad STU Program Director Ian Fogarty, “this will be the longest, shortest month of your life”. Take it all in, listen to others and allow yourself to grow in unexpected ways. Be open minded, but don’t be afraid to take up space! What you have to say matters.