Back to News
Mateo Jarquin Awarded Prestigious Schulich Leader Scholarship
Jun 8 , 2026
Scholarships and Awards
Student Highlight
Champlain College Lennoxville graduate Mateo Jarquin has been awarded a $120,000 Schulich Leader Scholarship and will begin his studies in Mechanical Engineering at McGill University this fall.
Mateo was selected for the award in recognition of both his strong academic record and his impressive contributions to science and engineering beyond the classroom. His standout project, F.L.E.X. (Fully Leveraged Exo-hand), earned top honours at multiple levels, including gold medals at regional and provincial Expo-Science competitions and a bronze medal at the Canada-Wide Science Fair. The project also led to his selection for Team Canada at the MILSET International Expo-Science in Abu Dhabi.
Outside of competitions, Mateo is passionate about sharing his work and inspiring others. Through his YouTube channel, MateoTechLab, he showcases his engineering projects and innovations to a wide audience. He has also presented his work internationally, including at Maker Faire Miami.
Mateo’s achievement marks an important milestone for Champlain College Lennoxville, as he is the first nominee from the college to receive a Schulich Leader Scholarship.
Each year, 100 Schulich Leader Scholarships are awarded across Canada—50 valued at $120,000 for engineering programs and 50 valued at $100,000 for studies in science, technology, or mathematics.
Reflecting on the recognition, Mateo described the experience as both meaningful and motivating. “Receiving this scholarship feels incredibly validating,” he said. “It’s given me the confidence to keep pushing my ideas further and the freedom to focus on building projects and exploring opportunities without financial pressure.”
Looking ahead, Mateo hopes to continue developing innovative engineering projects while expanding MateoTechLab into a robotics-focused venture. He is also driven by a desire to encourage others to explore engineering and pursue their own ideas.
“Mateo embodies the qualities that the Schulich Leader Scholarships were created to recognize,” said Diana Bellows, Science Program Coordinator at Champlain Lennoxville. “Throughout his time here, he has distinguished himself through academic excellence, innovation, and leadership. What stands out most is his ability to take initiative, master complex concepts independently, and apply them to meaningful, real-world projects—all while inspiring others along the way.”
As he prepares to begin his next chapter at McGill, Mateo’s accomplishments serve as an inspiration to current and future students, demonstrating what can be achieved through curiosity, perseverance, and a passion for discovery.
————-
About Schulich Leader Scholarships Canada
Recognizing the increasing importance and impact that STEM disciplines will have on the prosperity of future generations, businessman and philanthropist Seymour Schulich established this $200 million scholarship fund in 2012 to encourage our best and brightest students to become Schulich Leader Scholars: the next generation of entrepreneurial-minded, technology innovators.
Through The Schulich Foundation, these prestigious entrance scholarships are awarded to 100 high school graduates enrolling in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) undergraduate program at 20 partner universities in Canada. Every high school in Canada can submit one Schulich Leader Nominee per academic year based on academic excellence in STEM, entrepreneurial leadership, and financial need.
