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Branksome was where I grew braver fast. The school didn’t just reward academic excellence as it celebrated empathy, innovation, and leadership. As the only Canadian recipient of the McEuen Scholarship, I owe a lot to Branksome’s values-driven culture. What made Branksome unique wasn’t the grades—it was how deeply it valued giving back, as part of growth.

Getting the McEuen Scholarship felt like Branksome’s way of saying your hard work and empathy matter. I left knowing impact matters more than accolades.

If I could go back I’d dance more, speak up earlier in clubs, lean into curiosity even when exhausted.

Branksome didn't just push me towards medicine,it also taught me how to heal with heart. It's a school that crafts technical minds, yes but it's equally committed to creating compassionate leaders.

If you're new, check out the Chandaria Innovation Centre, just go imagine what feels impossible. Join dance, counseling, global clubs, anything that nudges you outside your comfort zone. Because Branksome isn’t about comfort but it’s about becoming.

IB at Branksome wasn’t about ticking boxes but it was about diving deep. Teachers coached endurance, intellectual and emotional. I got used to mini panic attacks over blood in a lab, but I also learned how empathy shapes medicine. That preparation paid off when I later received the scholarship.

I wasn’t an athlete, but I joined Yoga and wellness groups to manage stress. Branksome’s attention to wellbeing including SEL and counselling support meant I could balance volunteering, academics, and mental health. It was a reminder that growth doesn’t happen in a bubble.

Dancing has always been my emotional outlet. At Branksome, dance company wasn’t for everyone but for those it called, it lifted you. Performing felt like showing courage in physical form. It grounded my academic intensity with raw, expressive joy.

Running public health projects in Nigeria with Leadership Initiatives was one of my most transformative experiences. Combining global impact with local empathy showed me what it means to lead with care and not just ambition.

I was a day student, but I often canvassed dorm events and knew the halls by presence. The dorm culture seemed supportive, playful and warm. It felt like a safety net that helped me feel anchored, even from the outside.

Dining hall culture was inclusive. We had discussions over meals, spontaneous brainstorming sessions, a place where I learned empathy not just for patients but for peers processing high-stakes life choices in university prep.

Toronto felt like raw possibility to me. Walking to SickKids hospital, then back to help lead student panels on public health, made school and community feel part of the same ecosystem.

Social life was meaningful because we were encouraged to lead with inclusivity. I bonded deeply not through parties, but through cause-based clubs, nurturing connections that mean more than surface-level friendship.