Roslin Chen is among some elite company. The St. Catharines student is one of only 25 secondary students across Canada to be awarded a Schulich Leader scholarship. With her award, Roslin plans to study environmental science at the University of Ottawa in the fall.

The Schulich Leader program was launched in 2012 and provides scholarships to Canada’s most promising students. Of the more than 350,000 high school graduates in Canada, 1,500 have the opportunity to apply for the scholarships. Of that number, just 50 are named Schulich Leaders. Twenty-five scholarships are awarded to students studying science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, with the other 25 scholarships given to students studying engineering.

Sir Winston Churchill teacher Martha Hunt nominated Roslin for the award. “Roslin is an excellent student and very deserving of this opportunity. We are very proud of her and look forward to hearing about her successes at the University of Ottawa,” said Hunt.

Roslin has a distinguished academic career, having maintained an 97% average since Grade 9. She has received awards for the highest average in Grades 9 and 10. Her project, analyzing the environmental changes of the Walden Pond in Massachusetts, earned Roslin three awards at the Niagara Regional Science and Engineering Fair. She placed fourth overall in the 2017 Brock Niagara French Contest, and third overall in the 2017 Ontario Envirothon Championships.

In addition to her academic successes, Roslin has also given over 350 volunteer hours to various organizations, including the Rankin Cancer Run, St. Catharines Museum and others. Roslin has also volunteered within the school, serving as a peer tutor, a member of the school’s arts council, and the editor of The Ruff Times school newspaper.