The Queen’s Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Office warmly welcomed the 2020 Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program PhD Fellows virtually on Tuesday, August 25, 2020. The 2020 Mastercard Foundation Fellows will be completing disability-related PhDs in Rehabilitation Science and Law.

The 2020 Fellows participated in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Orientation, which provided supports to facilitate their virtual academic transition to graduate studies at Queen’s University. Fellows will take part in a second orientation when they can travel to Kingston to support their cultural transition to Kingston and Canada.

During the Virtual Orientation, incoming Fellows learned about the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program and Queen’s University, expectations, opportunities and supports. In addition to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Queen’s team, the Orientation included guest speakers from various Queen’s Departments. Paola Durando held a virtual library service tour. Dr. Ian Garner gave a presentation regarding Student Academic Success Services; Arthur Chen shared information about the support available at the Queen’s University International Centre, and Amber McCart, a Graduate Councillor, spoke on Student Mental Wellness.

Fellows from previous cohorts joined us throughout the week; we learned about the Occupational Therapy profession from the Occupational Therapy Program Coordinator Jasmine Montagnese and 2019 Mastercard Foundation OT Fellow: Rediet Getachew. Wondwossen Firew, a 2019 Mastercard Foundation PhD Fellow in Law, presented on the Baobab platform and how he uses the resource. We ended the orientation week with a seminar joined by Fellows in Cohorts 1-3 who shared their experiences, the ups and downs, and the skills required to navigate the new graduate student environment. The 2020 Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program PhD Fellows are:

Tibeb Debele

Sintayehu Wami

Fikadu Yehualashet

Dawit Mekonen

Abebe Alemu

We are excited to have them join our community!