Faculty mentorship encourages SSHRC scholarships for students

Eleven alumni of the King’s Class of 2021 have been awarded the highly respected Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canada Graduate Scholarship. Each recipient will receive $17,500, for a total of $192,500 coming to the newest King’s alumni. The SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarships are the top academic award for undergraduate students.

“Our award-winning students reflect the best of King's: dedication to social justice and intellectual pursuit,” says Dr. Gillian Balfour, Vice Principal and Academic Dean. “For King's students to receive such an impressive number of these scholarships speaks not only to their academic excellence, but also to their mentorship by faculty. I am grateful to have such a dedicated faculty whose priority is the well being and academic success of their students. The future looks bright as our graduates head off into a complex world that needs their passion and commitment to academic excellence,” says Dr. Balfour.

The student award winners are 2021 alumni from the Political Science, English, and History departments. The recipients list includes:

Political Science

• Zainab Al-Jaiashi, ’21, BA Honours Major in Social Justice and Peace Studies, Major in Political Science
• Lorena Kettle ’21, BA Honours Major in Criminology; Major in Political Science
• Natalie Playford ’21, BA Honours Specialization in Political Science (received two SSHRC award offers)
• Michal Kearn ’21, BA Honours Specialization in Political Science
• Hussein Sam Chams ’21, BA Honours Specialization in Political Science (received two SSHRC award offers)

Political Science alumni, Al-Jaiashi and Kettle, reflected on how support from faculty and other students helped them achieve their goals and showing that King’s is truly a place to become.

English

• Mac Buchwald’21, BA Honours Major in Criminology; Major in English Language and Literature
• Anastazia Csegeny ’21, BA Honours Specialization in French Language and Literature; Major in English Language and Literature
• Abigail Gerassime ’21, BA Honours Specialization in English Language & Literature; Minor in Microbiology & Immunology
• Simon Stan ’21, BA (King's Scholar) Honours Specialization in English Language and Literature; Minor in Philosophy

History

• Kate Cormier ’21, Honours Specialization in History; Minor in Disability Studies
• Reece Gordon’21, BA Honours Specialization in History; Minor in Public History

King’s University College has a long history of alumni and faculty receiving SSHRC grants to further their research and pursuit of academic excellence. When alumni reflect back on their time at King’s and the successful path it started them on, they regularly discuss the mentorship they received from King’s faculty.

Congratulations to all of the members of the Class of 2021 who have received these prestigious scholarships! King’s is proud of your dedication to academic excellence and we wish you all the best in your graduate studies.

More information can be found on the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council website.