Roncalli grad nets $100K scholarship for math and science prowess

Roncalli Central High graduate Samantha Morgan is a recipient of an award valued at $100,000.

Morgan is one of two first year Memorial University students to win a Schulich Leader Scholarship this fall. Jason Matthews, a graduate of Pasadena Academy in Pasadena in Western Newfoundland, is the recipient of an award valued at $80,000.

The awards were established in 2012 by Canadian business leader and philanthropist Seymour Schulich. The annual scholarship program was created to encourage Canada’s most promising high school graduates to pursue degrees in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines and become the next generation of innovators.

Matthews is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree with joint honours in computer science and statistics.

Morgan is pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering degree.

“I feel my positive attitude, natural leadership ability and my dedication to problem-solving will allow me to become a trusted member of Memorial’s engineering community,” she said. “I plan to strive to make real change in the electric industry and I believe that this Schulich scholarship can help make this dream a reality.”

Morgan said one of the main reasons she chose Memorial is because of the co-operative education program in engineering which places students in the job field as part of their education.

“For me, attending Memorial was an obvious choice,” Morgan said.

The Schulich Foundation awards 100 entrance scholarships annually. Every high school in Canada can submit one Schulich Leader nominee per academic year based on academic excellence in STEM, entrepreneurial leadership and financial need.