Mount Allison welcomed two new Brenton Wood Scholars in 2025-26. The Brenton Wood Scholarships are open to students from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.
 
Erin Vandenheuvel, from Montague, PE, chose Mount Allison because it looked to have far more opportunities for undergrads to get involved in research than the other schools she considered.

The Science student hopes to attend graduate school and have a career in research. She says immunology is a particular interest but figures at Mount Allison she will be able to further explore her interests, try many different things, and develop her long-term goals.
 
“The Brenton Wood Scholarship was a really big deal for me because I probably would have had to work part-time during the school year,” says Vandenheuvel. “I wouldn’t have had as much time to study to get as good of grades as I’ve been able to achieve, which I know is important for going to grad school. I also wouldn’t have had as much time for extracurriculars.”
 
An air cadet for several years back home, Vandenheuvel was happy to be able to transfer to the Sackville squadron. She has also been able to pursue her interest in theatre. She joined the bilingual theatre troupe Tintamarre, with her first performance this March, and has helped build and paint sets for other plays at Mount Allison.
 
Ella Beatrice Doucet enrolled in Mount Allison’s interdisciplinary health studies program, a degree she chose to help her explore various career options in the health care field. Her future career aspirations include public health and speech-language pathology. The University’s peer mentoring program recently matched her with a fourth-year student with the same interests.

Doucet attended the Halifax Grammar School and she is delighted to join another close-knit learning community — a place where she can form meaningful connections with peers and professors.
 
“My high school’s motto — enter to learn, go forth to serve — and overall value of altruism inspired me to become an active volunteer in my community and from Grade 7 on I took as many volunteer and leadership opportunities as I could,” says Doucet. “I knew that by coming to Mount Allison I would be staying in an environment that values altruism and has accessible volunteer opportunities.”
 
Doucet is a member of Rotaract Mount Allison and is pursuing other ways to volunteer in the community. She is also a notetaker with the Meighen Centre for students with disabilities, a wellness rep in Harper Hall residence, plays intramural volleyball, is a member of the Choral Society, and recently had an ensemble role in Garnet and Gold’s production of The Little Mermaid.
 
“The Brenton Wood Scholarship has made such a huge difference and will allow me to complete my undergraduate education with little debt,” says Doucet. “It takes away so much stress and allows me to enjoy being here.”
 
Consistent praise for the school from alumni sparked Doucet’s curiosity and desire to attend Mount Allison and helped to assure her that she was making the right decision.
 
“My greatest inspiration was my grandmother Diane MacDonald, who relayed the stories and joy from her adventure in 1957, leaving home to attend Mount Allison at the age of 17. I’m so grateful that she was able to see me leave on my own adventure before her passing in October."

March 1 is the deadline to apply for the Brenton Wood Scholarship and other Mount Allison scholarships. For more information visit Scholarships and awards for first-year students.
 
The Brenton Wood Scholarship was created by Andrew Brenton (’80) and Kerry Wood. Read more about the scholarship in Giving Choices and Opportunities, from the Fall 2024 Record.