Incomparable scholarly experience
Yael Hartmann wants to be prime minister of Israel. Daniela Bartosova aspires to be Slovakia's minister of communications. Sound like ambitious Baby Boomers? Think again.
Hartmann and Bartosova are among the 14 young overachievers - each under 30, each with a communications background, each at the cusp of their careers - selected from among 140 applicants to be McGill's first Sauvé Scholars. The students, hailing from Canada to China, arrived this fall to embark on one of the continent's most unique scholarly initiatives.
In a Canadian first, Sauvé Scholars are given open-door access to all courses and programs at McGill. Sauvé Scholars don't write exams, nor do they earn academic credit. The freethinkers are invited to McGill for nine months to research, question and enlarge their understanding of the world and how to effect positive change. McGill will allow qualified scholars an opportunity to also register as master's to post-doc students if they wish.
Each scholarship is worth about $30,000 Canadian, which covers tuition, meals, mobile phones, group excursions and stipends of $1,000 per month. All scholars live ensemble at Sauvé House, a gorgeous four-floor mansion on Dr. Penfield Ave. There, residents sleep in individual lofts, which include private bathrooms, Internet hook-up and weekly housekeeping. Scholars also have access to sun-drenched libraries and study rooms, as well as a digital video editing suite.
"I don't know of any other live-in scholarship program in the world that resembles this," says Harry Parnass, president of the Sauvé Scholars Foundation, created and funded by the Jeanne Sauvé Foundation. "For the first time in their lives, these talented young people don't have to worry about bosses, exams, expenses or chores. They can devote 100 per cent of their time to self development, with the long-term goal of making a difference in the world."
Generous support
The Sauvé Scholars Foundation was established through an initiative by the late Jeanne Sauvé, a pioneering journalist and politician, first female Governor General of Canada, first female Speaker of the House of Commons, and first female Member of Parliament from Quebec to be a cabinet minister.
"McGill was a natural choice as a partner in the Sauvé Scholars program," says Jean-François Sauvé, president of the Jeanne Sauvé Foundation. "McGill has a great choice of course offerings and the institution is well equipped to accommodate international students. Moreover, the University has a stellar reputation around the world."
"McGill is extremely pleased to have been selected as the host university for the Sauvé Scholars program," says McGill Principal Heather Munroe-Blum. "Being associated with a program as unique as the Sauvé Scholars helps us to remain competitive and to continue attracting top students the world over."
New home for new program
Sauvé House is a historic 1905 mansion that was purchased last spring to shelter its new scholars. The home, gutted to accommodate offices in another incarnation, was completely restored under the supervision of Parnass, an architect who's designed such hotels as Miami's Le Fountainbleau. The centrepiece of the home is its communal kitchen, planned to be a gathering place where students of different cultures can meet and mingle over shared meals.
Sauvé Scholars also share the University's intellectual resources. Each is assigned one McGill mentor. Hartmann, for instance, studies with McGill History professor Gil Troy, while Bartosova is tutored by Communications Studies professor Will Straw. What's more, scholars are given access to media moguls, who visit Sauvé House. One recent visitor was Robert Lantos, a McGill alumnus and co-founder of Toronto-based Alliance-Atlantis Communications. "The achievements of our scholars attract these people like bees to honey," says Parnass.
The scholars, for their part, applied for this unique opportunity to stretch themselves personally and professionally. Hartmann recently worked as spokesperson for the Israel Defence Forces and continues to be a reporter for the Jerusalem Post. As a Sauvé Scholar, she aims to write a book, sharpen her political savvy in Middle Eastern conflict resolution, and learn Arabic. All this to prepare to become Israel's prime minister. "It might sound arrogant," she chuckles, "yet it's not. It's a terrible job that nobody wants because everybody hates you." Why her? "I can bring something different to the job," she continues. "I have an agenda: to think outside of the box."
Fierce ambition among Sauvé Scholars is what Parnass finds most thrilling. "These scholars are change agents," he beams. "I'm so happy with this first group that my feet don't even touch the ground."
Scholar bios
- Yael Hartmann, Canadian by birth, recently worked as spokesperson for the Israel Defence Forces and continues to be a reporter for the Jerusalem Post. As a Sauvé Scholar, she intends to write a book, sharpen her political savvy in Middle Eastern conflict resolution, and learn Arabic. And become Israel's prime minister.
- Daniela Bartosova, a Slovakian native who's worked as a communications professor and reporter, hopes to draft a communications plan for her homeland. She aims to be a world-class specialist on global public communications and new media policy and become Slovakia's communications policy minister.
- Saman Ahsan, a McGill anthropology graduate, is originally from Pakistan. She worked as national coordinator of the Girl Child Project, a group which advocates for adolescent girls' rights in Pakistan. Ahsan helped build the organization to 500 locations and has addressed the United Nations General Assembly on its Special Session on Children.
- In-Hyeok Hwang is a journalist with Maeil Business Newspaper, Korea's most influential journal. His input on economics helped influence national policy and he's earned four Best Exclusive News Awards for his scoops.
- Sherry Lee reported for Commonwealth Magazine, Taiwan's most prestigious business journal. She has co-authored three books on human capital and written extensively on the women's movement, knowledge revolution, digital learning and the Internet.
- Steve Li, from China, worked as an ad agency executive and intends to complete a PhD in literature and media culture. He has also co-authored a book on brand building.
- Sandra Lizardo, from Peru, is a specialist in development communications. She worked at the Institute of Law Defence, Peru's most important NGO in Human Rights, as well as with UNICEF (designing and managing surveys).
- Ta Bao Long, from Vietnam, was a senior editor, national news, for his homeland's English newspaper. His goal is to improve human rights awareness through journalism.
- Meriem Maza, originally from Algeria, is a biochemist and microbiologist, but recently worked at an NGO teaching children. She was correspondent and host for many TV productions from France and Algeria.
- Malcolm Moore, of England, was a financial reporter with the Daily Telegraph. Born in Singapore, he has traveled extensively. His main field of interest is energy and its role in shaping the world.
- Readith Muliyanda was a business reporter with the Times of Zambia, the country's largest daily. Her goal? "To be the mirror and defender of the voiceless in our society."
- Ana Nov, from Cambodia, was an executive in media relations and reported for the Cambodia Daily. She hopes to work with media in her homeland for everything from reducing violence to instilling basic human rights.
- Adam Sharon, a Toronto native, earned a BA from McGill before moving to Washington, DC. He was a White House correspondent for Talk Radio News Service, a television reporter for Fox News, and covers Middle Eastern politics for the Jerusalem Post.
- Born in Maryland, Paul Shore was raised in Montreal. He's currently Canada's Bureau Chief for Guerrilla News Network. Shore is a volunteer videographer for Peter Gabriel's Witness Foundation, gives video production workshops and teaches media literacy to high school students.
For more information on the Sauvé Scholars Foundation, please consult the website.
