Media Releases and Opportunities

Thursday, July 4, 2024 (Halifax, Nova Scotia) – Dalhousie University is pleased to share that students, Magdelena Klunder and Claire Moser are amoungst the nineteen undergraduate students from across Canada that will form the next cohort of McCall MacBain International Fellows. 

Valued at up to $30,000, the Fellowship is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn a language, participate actively and respectfully in a new community, build lasting international ties, and deepen their ability to work in a different cultural context. Fellows depart this summer, and during their year abroad spend one term learning a new language, one term completing academic studies, and one term at a work or internship experience.  

“John and I are delighted to announce the 2024 McCall MacBain International Fellows,” said Marcy McCall MacBain, Vice-Chair of the McCall MacBain Foundation. “It is necessary for Canada to invest in long-term study abroad experiences to a range of destinations. As a Foundation, we believe investing in programs that encourage cultural understanding will better equip the next generation of leaders with the breadth of knowledge and experiences they will need to succeed.”

“We hope that the fellowship will allow these students to experience the joys of being immersed in another language and culture and develop skills that will in turn impact the ways they choose to lead in the future,” said Natasha Sawh, CEO of the McCall MacBain Scholarships offered by the Foundation. 

“We’re thrilled for Claire and Maggie and the experiences that are waiting for them over the year ahead.  Having this kind of opportunity, to fully immerse themselves in the language and culture of the country for a full calendar year, really stands to be transformational from a personal, academic, and career standpoint.” Says Adam Christie, Director of Dalhousie’s International Centre. “We look forward to hearing about their experiences, just as we look forward to more Dalhousie students applying to the McCall-MacBain International Fellowship in the future.”

The selection process for the McCall MacBain International Fellowships looks beyond academic achievement to examine students’ activities and pursuits in the service of their communities, their leadership experience, and their character. To support them in planning their year abroad, the Fellows attended a pre-departure orientation over three days at McGill’s Gault Nature Reserve in May and have regular touchpoints with each other and with the Foundation team throughout the year. The two McMaster Fellows selected will travel to Italy and Portugal.

Applications for the next cohort will open in October 2024 for departure in the summer of 2025. 

Meet the Dalhousie McCall MacBain International Fellows

Magdelena Klunder: Georgian Bluffs, Ontario
Studies: Medical Sciences at Dalhousie University
Fellowship year: Portuguese in Portugal

Magdelena grew up exploring the scenic outdoors of the Bruce Peninsula and has continued to be driven by sports and physical activity. She volunteers with Special Olympics Nova Scotiato engage individuals with intellectual disabilities through community, teamwork, and movement. She enjoys being engaged with the community through volunteer work, playing various competitive sports, and spending time outdoors. Magdelena aims to pursue a career in healthcare, as she has spent time volunteering within hospitals and research labs directed towards advancing scientific advancements in medicine. She is now heading to Europe for her first time, to learn Portuguese in Portugal.

Claire Moser: Calgary, Alberta
Studies: Industrial Engineering at Dalhousie University
Fellowship year: Italian in Italy

Claire discovered the impact engineering could have on people’s lives when she volunteered to go to Honduras to design a new water system for communities with unreliable water supply. She continued to pursue other opportunities to use her skills and knowledge such as raising money for Atlantic Canada’s largest engineering competition and interning at an energy company to lead energy efficiency projects. Outside of her academic interests, Claire writes for a female-directed student magazine, plays intramural basketball, volunteers to cook for children at the Ronald MacDonald House, and has learned improv.

About the McCall MacBain Foundation 
The McCall MacBain Foundation’s mission is to improve the welfare of humanity by providing scholarships and other educational opportunities that nurture transformational leadership, and by investing in evidence-based strategies to address climate change, preserve our natural environment, and improve health outcomes. 

The Foundation believes in the power of education, and scholarships in particular, to transform lives and in turn transform our communities to be fairer, healthier, and more prosperous for all; that climate change is the single most pressing problem facing our planet and that we must all do our part to address it; and in the importance of an evidence-based approach to youth mental-health and well-being.

The Foundation has made significant investments in the leadership potential of young people, most notably through the McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill, the Rhodes Scholarships, the Loran Awards, and scholarships at several universities in Canada including McMaster University and Dalhousie University, as well as the Mandela Rhodes Scholarships based in South Africa and the Kupe Leadership Scholarships in New Zealand.

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Media Contact: 
Fatema Diwan, Communications Manager
McCall MacBain Foundation
E: fatema@mccallmacbain.org 
T: (416) 306-8600 x9330

Lindsay Dowling-Savelle
Media Relations Manager
Dalhousie University
E: Lindsay.Savelle@dal.ca 
T: 902-222-8810