The McGill Mastercard Foundation Transitions Project was created in 2020 to facilitate the transitions of Scholars into the workforce during the pandemic, building on the Scholars Program. The impactful interactions of Scholars and the staff developed to support the Scholars Program continue to contribute immensely to institutional change and further strengthen McGill’s engagement with Africa. The Transitions Project provided opportunities for Scholars to engage in internships, professional development courses, and entrepreneurship, supported by a diverse network of professionals, including faculty/staff, alumni and partners from academia, industry, and community organizations. The scholars impacted a wide variety of organizations through internships ranging from placements with start-ups to UN organizations and worked on issues across various African countries. Scholars and alumni who participated are still applying the practical lessons learnt from professional development courses they took under the Transitions Project, such as in Project Management, and partnering with McGill and stakeholders from the private and public sectors in entrepreneurship and employment creation projects.
Support was developed for Mastercard Foundation Scholars/Alumni through four types of activities:
- Experiential Learning/Internships
- Entrepreneurship and Employment Creation projects, through a McGill Mastercard Foundation Transitions Fund
- Professional Development
- Mentorship
