McGill University students continue to distinguish themselves as leaders in their communities with innovative approaches to creating change, earning two Pathy Foundation Fellowships in the program’s first ever national cohort.
Mai Ababneh; B.Sc. Cognitive Science
Community: Young Arabs and Muslims in Montreal
Initiative title: Embodied Self-literacy: Empowerment via Sex Ed
Mai’s initiative idea emerged from conversations with peers about navigating the complexities of sex education within the context of Arab and Muslim communities. Through these conversations and lived experience, Mai realized there was a significant gap in understanding and open dialogue related to body literacy, sex, and relationships and identified a need to address these topics in a culturally sensitive and faith-aligned manner.
“I was deeply inspired by the stories of previous Fellows,” says Mai. “Each of them found a way to translate a vision into something real, something that made a tangible difference in a community they care about. That possibility – to start something, even if it’s just the first stone in a ripple effect of change – felt incredibly meaningful to me.”
Throughout her Fellowship year, Mai will work to develop sex education resources that empower young Arabs and Muslims in Montreal. Rooted in cultural sensitivity and Islamic teachings that affirm mutual care within relationships, the workshops aim to challenge shame, foster dialogue, and build a sustainable, community-driven space for reflection, acceptance, and deeper connection to one’s body, identity, and values.
“I still want to learn, but through experience, through building something from the ground up,” Mai shares. “The Pathy Fellowship offers exactly that: the chance to stay a student, just in a different classroom rooted in community, action, and growth. It provides the opportunity to give back to my community, and to co-create something lasting with the very same people who continue to inspire me.
“Most importantly, I believed in an idea. I believed it could matter. And it meant a great deal to me that the Fellowship saw potential in that vision – and in me.”
Sam Liptay; B.Sc., Food Production and Environment Concentration
Community: Youth interested in sustainable farming in the greater Montreal area
Initiative title: Cultivating sustainability with youth-led farming
“I applied to the Pathy Fellowship as I knew it would allow me to keep doing meaningful work in my community while having the resources to learn more about myself and my community in a guided and supportive environment,” says Sam.
Sam has been working on Élèves des champs (formerly the Macdonald Student-run Ecological Gardens) since 2021. In this work, he “discovered a radical passion and potential, both within [himself] and dozens of other young folks for more just, accessible, and joyful agricultural spaces that serve the needs of communities, farm workers, and the land alike.”
Through the Fellowship, Sam aims to strengthen Élèves des champs by developing a sustainable farm model that balances food production, youth employment, and community service. He plans to engage local interest holders to improve infrastructure and operational efficiency, while expanding educational programming, increasing food donations, and creating meaningful youth employment in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue.
“I’ve been lucky to witness and read about some of the great work Pathy Fellows have done both in communities in Montreal and in agricultural education and felt like the Fellowship’s emphasis on holistic sustainability, youth empowerment and community solidarity were just the things I wanted to bring to my initiative,” Sam reflects. “Having the opportunity to engage with these practices tangibly, with a group of like-minded young folks from across the country, was an opportunity I did not want to pass up!”