Distinctive scholarships will support students, honour members of the Margaret and Wallace McCain family

SACKVILLE, NB — Mount Allison University announces the McCain Scholars – a suite of new and distinctive scholarship awards for undergraduate students. Thanks to the vision and philanthropy of The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, the McCain Scholar awards will support, not only emerging scholars, but emerging seekers, do-ers, inventors, activists and leaders.

The McCain Scholar awards will see five new awards, each named in honour of members of the Margaret and Wallace McCain family. The renewable awards, each valued at $10,000 annually, will be available to incoming students this year, and will eventually support up to 20 McCain Scholars annually from all years of study. These scholarships are among the leading and most prestigious student awards at Mount Allison.

“I am pleased to be able to help attract, recognize and encourage Mount Allison students through the McCain Scholars,” says The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain. “The complex world in which we live needs leaders who approach challenges and opportunities with broad perspectives, innovative ideas, grit and resilience. I have confidence that McCain Scholars will be among these leaders in our communities, our institutions, in our country and around the world.”

The McCain Scholar awards are unique in that they seek to recognize personal attributes of students such as resilience, perseverance, reliability, responsibility, creativity, and leadership — in addition to academic achievements. These attributes are all demonstrated by early accomplishments in student’s home communities, schools, sports teams, clubs, and interests.

Mount Allison University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Jean-Paul Boudreau says the McCain Scholars are distinctive in that they recognize and celebrate the non-academic achievements of students.

“The McCain Scholars will bring with them a wide range of experiences and interests and the McCain Scholar awards will support them in the wholistic inquiry, exploration, and learning for which Mount A is so well-known,” says Boudreau. “On behalf of the entire Mount Allison community, I thank Mrs. McCain for her innovative thinking and generous support in establishing these consequential student awards.”

The five new student awards are named for members of the Margaret and Wallace McCain family, all of whom attended Mount Allison, and who lead distinguished lives in business, the arts, and social change.

The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, CC, ONB (Class of ’54, LLD ’95), Chancellor Emerita of Mount Allison, was the first female Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick and has been a life-long advocate for and supporter of early childhood education. Mrs. McCain is currently chair of the Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation.

The late Wallace McCain (Class of ’52, LLD ’74), whom she met at Mount Allison, was one of Canada’s most notable entrepreneurs and generous philanthropists. He co-founded McCain Foods Ltd and was Chair of the Board of Maple Leaf Foods. He was the Founding Chair of Mount Allison’s National Advisory Council in 2005.

The McCain family’s support for Mount Allison spans several decades. In 1994, Margaret and Wallace McCain established the Margaret and Wallace McCain Fellows, supporting academics at the beginning of their careers with a one-year fellowship focused on teaching and research. More than 40 researchers and teachers have been post-doctorate McCain Fellows at Mount Allison over the past 25 years. The McCain family is now pleased to support student academics in a similar way – with the McCain Scholar awards.

In 2008, the Wallace McCain Student Centre opened, supported by Margaret and Wallace McCain philanthropy. This central hub for all student services replaced Trueman House, the men’s residence which was named for Margaret McCain’s great uncle, former Mount Allison President and Vice-Chancellor George Trueman.

More information about the McCain Scholars at Mount Allison can be found under Designated Scholarships on the scholarships page. 

Photo caption: The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain (Mount Allison Class of ’54 and honorary degree holder), New Brunswick’s first female lieutenant-governor, and former Chancellor of Mount Allison University