A local student from Milton, Aliyah Ishmail, has been selected as one of the Wilfrid Laurier University's Scholars Award program recipients. The prestigious scholarship supports high-achieving students in their academic and career pursuits through mentorship, experiential learning opportunities, and community engagement.

The Wilfrid Laurier University Scholars Award program is the university's most distinguished entrance scholarship, providing recipients with $40,000 over four years. Students are also given $10,000 to fund an experiential learning opportunity, such as a summer research assistantship, international exchange, or other hands-on learning opportunities.

For Aliyah, this scholarship translates into an opportunity to pursue her academic goals and gain valuable experience through experiential learning. She said she was extremely pleased to receive the scholarship.

Aliyah is currently studying User Experience Design at the Brantford campus and is in her second year. She is working with other scholars on a podcast focused on student life, and her role includes script writing, podcast art and design for social media graphics.

“Our podcast aims to help other students with mental health, academics and helpful university tips,” she said.

Aliyah added that her favourite part of the scholarship would be peer mentorship.

“The ability to connect with upper-year students has been beneficial for academics and campus life. The connection with my peer mentor has helped improve my academic writing for the Brantford Foundation courses. I have benefited from having another student help me transition from high school to university,” she explained.

The scholarship selection process is highly competitive, with only a limited number of scholarships available each year. Recipients are chosen based on their academic achievements, leadership potential, and community involvement.

Muhammad Aamir, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Milton Reporter, Milton Reporter