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Hammarskjold Student Receives Prestigious Scholarship

A new chapter in the Emily Cross success story has been written! The graduating Grade 12 Hammarskjold High School student has received confirmation that she has been awarded a prestigious Schulich Leader Scholarship. Twenty-five students across Canada who will be studying Science, Technology or Mathematics will each receive $80,000 for the Schulich Leader Scholarship. An additional 25 students studying Engineering will receive $100,000. Emily will be studying Geology at the University of British Columbia.

Recognizing the increasing importance and impact that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) disciplines will have on the prosperity of future generations, businessman and philanthropist Seymour Schulich established this $100 million scholarship fund in 2012 to encourage the best and brightest students to become the next pioneers of global scientific research and innovation.

“This Schulich Leader Scholarship is the largest STEM scholarship in Canada and this is a true testament to Emily’s hard work and constant pursuit of excellence,” says Derek DiBlasio, Principal, Hammarskjold High School. “In addition to the scholarship, Emily becomes a member of a very elite group of 270 technology innovators as a Schulich Leader.”

In 2018, high schools across Canada put forth 1,400 Schulich Leader Nominees, who in turn became eligible to receive the scholarship and become Schulich Leaders. Schulich Leaders can devote their full time and attention to their studies, as all of their financial needs are covered over the course of their degree. Emily Cross is the second Lakehead Public Schools student to become a Schulich Leader with Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate and Vocational Institute’s Gurleen Chahal receiving the honour in 2012.

Emily Cross is well known in local, national and international science circles. She recently won Best in Fair at the 2018 Northwestern Ontario Regional Science Fair (NWORSF and was unable to attend the Canada Wide Science Fair as she was competing at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2018 in Pittsburgh during the week of May 14. At ISEF 2018, Emily received the American Geoscience Institute First Place Special Award as the Top High School Geoscientist for 2018 for her geochemistry and paleontology research project titled “Taphonomic Geochemistry of Fossil Bones from Marine and Terrestrial Fossilization Environments”. The project was undertaken with the support of Lakehead University, The Royal Tyrell Museum, and the Canadian Museum of Nature. This was Emily’s third time as a member of Team Canada, having previously been on the team in both 2015 and 2016. Emily previously won two Grand Award 4th Place awards at ISEF, and a Special Award 1st Place. She has also won a prestigious Sigma Xi Student Research Medal in international competition, and a Gold Medal at the Canada Wide Science Fair.

“Emily is very well rounded and is involved in many other exciting endeavours in our community including the Hammarskjold High School curling team,” says Sharon Campbell, Guidance Counsellor, Hammarskjold High School. “The entire Hammarskjold High School community is extremely proud of Emily and we will continue to monitor her accomplishments well into the future.”

Beyond science fair competitions, Emily is a local, regional and international advocate and public speaker addressing young women’s lack of participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Emily is a member of the Thunder Bay Superior-North Youth Council, and an associate member of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honour Society.