Nine remarkable new UM students have been awarded BMO Financial Group Indigenous Leaders of Tomorrow and BMO Financial Group Leaders of Tomorrow scholarships. Each prestigious scholarship is valued at $16,000 over four years of study; recipients are carefully selected based on community involvement, high academic standing (minimum 90 per cent average in specific grade 11 courses) and leadership potential.
"This year's incoming scholars really impressed the panelists in their interviews, showing incredible potential to lead, inspire, and make a difference both here at UM and wherever their paths take them," says Jane Lastra, Associate Registrar and Director, Financial Aid & Awards.
"We are proud to support each and every one of these deserving scholars and future leaders."
This year, the Indigenous scholarship program celebrates 10 years. UM is committed, with the help of partners like BMO Financial Group, to fostering the development of the next generation of Indigenous leaders.
"This program has been empowering Indigenous students for a decade now," notes Desiree Morrisseau-Keesick, Director of Indigenous Student Recruitment and Community Relations.
"It's been very exciting and rewarding to see these new scholars coming into the program each year and as they move through their studies and on to careers. The ongoing success of Indigenous students is key to the strength and vitality of our province and the world," she says.
These three deserving students are recipients of a BMO Financial Group Indigenous Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship: Presley Barnbrook (Westwood Collegiate); Brandt Cochrane (Fisher Branch Collegiate); and Sophie Piché (Gray Academy of Jewish Education).
Six deserving students also have been awarded a BMO Financial Group Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship: Talia Kagan (Gray Academy of Jewish Education); Nathan Jay de Guzman (École Secondaire Sisler High School); Fareedah Folakemi Ibitoye (Dakota Collegiate); Sabrina Mehmood Batla (St. Mary's Academy); Verina Ibrahim (St. Maurice High School); Mark Nashed (St. Paul's High School).
Meet four of the recipients, the next generation of scholars who will shape our world's future.
Brandt Cochrane (BMO Financial Group Indigenous Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship), a proud Cree student from Fisher Branch, Manitoba, is graduating from Fisher Branch Collegiate and will be pursuing Civil Engineering at UM. He is eager to use engineering to address real challenges in Indigenous communities, such as clean water access, housing and sustainable infrastructure. "I want to design solutions that improve lives while respecting the land and our traditions," he says.
Cochrane embraces both his Cree identity and the Ukrainian Heritage of his community, participating in Ukrainian folk dancing as a celebration of both cultures. He is deeply committed to community, having served as a youth director in the provincial government and as president of his high school where he led food hamper drives and fundraisers. He also has a passion for athletics, coaching various youth sport teams, and playing for the Peguis Juniors, a Junior B hockey team. "Hockey has taught me resilience," he says, reflecting on overcoming racism on the ice with dignity and determination. "Coaching gave me the chance to mentor young players and encourage teamwork and provides a healthy outlet for their energy," he adds. His experiences have taught him that "leadership is not just about taking charge but about listening, understanding and acting with compassion."
Inspired by his great-grandmother, who taught him piano, Cochrane developed a love for music and the arts. He credits his mother and grandmother as the strongest influences in his life, guiding him through personal hardships with strength and love. He says that his biggest goal is to make them proud.
Cochrane looks forward to joining a university that values inclusivity and Indigenous success. He says, "I want to be part of a place that respects everyone and helps students like me return home and lift up our communities."
Presley Barnbrook (BMO Financial Group Indigenous Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship) is a proud Métis student graduating from Westwood Collegiate in Winnipeg, who previously attended Abbotsford Senior Secondary School in BC. Having lived in both provinces, she says Manitoba's warmth and sense of community drew her to the University of Manitoba, where she plans to pursue a Bachelor of Health Sciences.
Barnbrook is an enthusiastic leader and advocate. As a member of the Indigenous Youth Council for her school division, she collaborated with peers to strengthen cultural programming and increase student engagement. "We aimed to improve access to Indigenous support and increase involvement in Indigenous traditions," she says. She also led her school's Youth in Philanthropy committee, helping direct grants to local charities, and served on student council, where she organized events that build school spirit and supported various causes. These experiences have shown her the power of community and the importance of giving back.
Barnbrook has a passion for dance and the arts and has been a competitive dancer for over 11 years, participating in advanced ensembles and mentoring younger dancers. Dance has taught her discipline, teamwork and how to express emotion through movement and the "importance of challenging myself in order to see growth."
At university, Barnbrook looks forward to participating in ceremonies like the Sweat Lodge and continuing to grow in her Métis identity. Her goals include completing a degree in four years, tutoring fellow students and helping others feel empowered in their academic journeys. "I'm excited to see what I can achieve by continuing to push myself every day," she says.
Fareedah Folakemi Ibitoye (BMO Financial Group Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship) is an accomplished, driven graduate of Winnipeg's Dakota Collegiate with a long-term goal of becoming a gynecologist. To begin, she will major in biological sciences at UM, inspired by Professor Ayush Kumar's research on Gram-negative bacteria and their antibiotic resistance. "His work made me want to embark on my own research journey with a focus on the female body," she says.
Ibitoye notes that she wants to attend UM because of its flexibility and available resources, and she is eager to be a part of a community that understands the importance of diversity.
As vice-president of the Healthy Muslim Families Youth Club, she has helped lead initiatives such as publishing a simplified Islamic history book, curating a halal map of Winnipeg and organizing cultural events for Muslim youth. She also hosts a community-focused show in collaboration with U-Multicultural Studios and hopes to expand it independently.
In her spare time, Ibitoye enjoys baking and researching the science behind it, and a future goal is to create a cookbook that's a fusion of Western and Nigerian baked goods. She also volunteers with Cakes for Kids, inspired by her own childhood experience, where cake was a luxury. "It lets me make an impact on other people's lives so they can have happier birthdays like everyone deserves," she says.
"I want to be someone other people like me can look up to," says Ibitoye. "And I will continue to break stereotypes of being a black Muslim girl by trying my best to make groundbreaking achievements and continuing my passion for public speaking, for equity and for a world free of stereotyping and discrimination."
Nathan de Guzman (BMO Financial Group Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship) graduated this June from École Secondaire Sisler High School and plans to pursue studies in dentistry. As an accomplished and high-achieving student in academics and athletics, de Guzman has a passion for the mysteries of science but his pursuit of a medical career is rooted in his desire to help people. "Out of all its uses, my favourite use of science is its ability to help people both physically and mentally," he says.
Previously enrolled in a dual-credit course with the university, de Guzman has already experienced campus life and values the opportunity to meet more like-minded people in a community that helps him grow in both character and knowledge. He sees UM as the best combination of the necessary academics and an encouraging student environment that will feed his strong desire to improve, learn and explore.
Art has been a lifelong pursuit for de Guzman, leading him to enhance and expand his skills with different tools and new mediums. He especially appreciates the flexibility and self-healing aspect of art. As an extension of his creativity and interest in art, he volunteers with St. Boniface Hospital's Art at the Bedside Program, offering patients the same creative outlet.
de Guzman enjoys opportunities to give back to community. He has been a co-leader of INSPIRE, a student group focused on literacy and educational equity, and a volunteer with Harvest Manitoba, preparing food for families in need.
For him, leadership goes beyond the ability to give instructions. Rather, it is based in service: "Leadership is one's ability to thrive under pressure, remain calm in the face of conflict and guide others in a way that tends to their individual needs and brings about the best in each person," he says.
He looks forward to continuing his academic and creative journey at the University of Manitoba.
Become a BMO Financial Group Leader of Tomorrow
Visit Financial Aid and Awards for more information on the BMO Financial Group Leader of Tomorrow scholarships and the BMO Financial Group Indigenous Leader of Tomorrow scholarships
