Two new Schulich leaders “couldn’t stop smiling” when awarded prestigious scholarship

Receiving the Schulich scholarship is life-changing, said Anastasiia Finovska, who immigrated to Canada from Ukraine with her family when she was five years old.

“When I got the call that I received a Schulich Leader Scholarship, my mom was there with me, and we both were initially shocked beyond belief,” she said. “It felt surreal. After the news settled, nothing could stop me from smiling. A dream that I had worked so hard for had just come true. It was truly one of the most exciting moments of my life.”

Lucas Sulewski, the recipient of the $100,000 Schulich Leader Scholarship, also couldn’t stop grinning when he received the good news.

“I was so happy that I just couldn’t stop smiling, but I don’t remember much else,” he said. “I was too shocked.”

Finovska and Sulewski were selected to receive one of the country’s premier scholarships for their entrepreneurial mindset and leadership, charisma and creativity, as well as academic achievement. Through The Schulich Foundation, entrance scholarships are awarded annually to 100 high school graduates enrolled in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) undergraduate program at partner universities in Canada, including USask.

Finovska is a recipient of the $120,000 Schulich Leader Scholarship. A graduate of Campbell Collegiate in Regina, Finovska will be entering USask’s College of Engineering this fall. She earned a gold medal for the highest average at her school in Grades 9 through 11, while also pioneering a drone program at Campbell Collegiate. She said the amount of time spent researching drone technology, searching for sponsorships, and becoming certified drone pilots has created a branch of Campbell Robotics that utilizes drones for the enrichment of education.

“My success in education has taught me the value of discipline, dedication, and hard work. The foundation I built for academia has also inspired a passion for lifetime learning,” she said.

Meanwhile, Sulewski received 15 academic awards – including maintaining bilingual status while living in an anglophone home – in a two-year span. A graduate of Greenall High School in White City, Sulewski achieved this while also posting podium finishes in track and field – despite injuries – including capturing back-to-back provincial long-jump championships and the title of Athlete of the Year at his school.

In addition to lifting the financial burden of attending university, Sulewski said the scholarship and Schulich Leaders cohort will help him make new friends and connections, noting he’s parting ways with friends he made when he was very young.

“The hardest part about making friends for me has always been talking to someone new for the first time, I never know what to talk about! But with us all sharing a similar experience, I might just have an easier time making friends with them.”

Enrolled in the College of Arts and Science, Sulewski will be completing his first year online, thanks to flexible learning options at USask. He envisions building his own consulting company in the STEM field, while Finovska hopes to gain experience with concepts like artificial intelligence (AI) to advance Canada’s capabilities. Both aspirations fit with the vision of Schulich Leader Scholarships.

“Schulich Leader Scholarships enable Canada’s top universities to attract and retain our exceptional STEM talent here at home, empowering them to become the innovators and entrepreneurs our country needs,” said Schulich founder Seymor Schulich. “Supporting their entrepreneurial ambition is essential for turning Canadian ingenuity into lasting national success.”