Max Bell School Partners launches Policy Scholars Program
Funded through a grant from the Max Bell Foundation, the Policy Scholars program provides Max Bell School MPP students with research fellowships at prominent Canadian policy organizations.
McGill University’s Max Bell School of Public Policy has partnered with three distinguished Canadian think tanks for the inaugural year of the School’s Policy Scholars program — a series of research fellowships awarded annually to promising Master of Public Policy (MPP) students.
"The Max Bell School MPP students are coming out of an intensive degree that is reflective of the real world,” said Catherine Stace, the Max Bell School Career Services Manager. “Having the opportunity to work on issues of vital importance at a prominent organization recognizes their academic achievements, while also providing them a launchpad for their respective careers."
Paisley Sim will be conducting research at the Institute for Research on Public Policy in the organization’s newly-launched Centre of Excellence on the Canadian Federation. Working under the Centre’s Executive Director, Charles Breton, Sim will be conducting a review and analysis of various issues related to federalism: from equalization, to Indigenous governance, to regional macroeconomic trends.
The Calgary-based Canada West Foundation will be welcoming Sumaiya Kabir Talukder to conduct research on the clean energy innovation ecosystem, analyzing its current performance and developing recommendations on how the system can be optimized.
Momanyi Mokaya will be joining the C.D. Howe Institute to undertake general policy research and a special project related to one of three subject areas: environment, health & wellness, or education. Further, his work will be conducted under two global thematic lenses: the well-being of Indigenous peoples and the impacts of new technologies.
The Policy Scholars program is funded through a significant philanthropic grant from the Max Bell Foundation.
Max Bell came to McGill in 1928 to earn a commerce degree. In 1962 he joined the Board of Governors, and when he established the Foundation that bears his name, he specified that 30 percent of all grants the Foundation makes shall support McGill University. The Foundation is proud of its long association with McGill, and delighted that the first cohort of students is about to complete their MPPs at the Max Bell School of Public Policy. These Policy Scholars will make important contributions to three of Canada’s foremost think tanks, and the Foundation is pleased to support their work.
Chris Ragan, Director of the Max Bell School, shared his thoughts on the Policy Scholars program: “With the launch of our MPP degree and the arrival of our inaugural cohort, we knew providing impactful career opportunities was essential for both the success of our program and the career trajectory of our MPP students,” said Chris Ragan, Director of the Max Bell School. "Thanks to the support of the Max Bell Foundation, the Policy Scholars program gives our students the opportunity to work within leading policy organizations and apply their newly acquired skills directly.”
Media Contacts
Communications Manager
Max Bell School of Public Policy
nicholas.salter [at] mcgill.ca
About McGill’s Max Bell School of Public Policy
McGill University’s Max Bell School of Public Policy is committed to the research, teaching, public outreach, and practical advocacy of sound public policy. Located in downtown Montreal, the Max Bell School offers a full-time and intensive 11-month Master of Public Policy (MPP) program. This innovative Master’s program tackles the complexities of public policy from diverse perspectives, giving students the skills to understand and solve the most important issues impacting Canada and the world today. The School welcomed its first cohort of talented, international Master of Public Policy (MPP) students in 2019. In the years to come, the School looks forward to welcoming new global perspectives as it continues to shape and prepare the policy leaders of tomorrow. For more information, visit mcgill.ca/maxbellschool or follow the School on Twitter @maxbellschool.
About the Max Bell Foundation
Since its creation in 1972 by the late Mr. George Maxwell (Max) Bell, Max Bell Foundation has made grants across Canada for a wide range of charitable purposes which benefit Canadians. Upon creating the Foundation, Max Bell charged the Board of Directors with managing the funds wisely, setting the Foundation’s mission, and selecting the fields in which grants would be made. Over the years, those fields have varied from journalism to veterinary science to physical fitness and sport. Today, our strategic priority is to support projects which educate Canadians about public policy and practice alternatives. While the fields of interest have changed over time, the primary purpose of Max Bell Foundation has remained the same. In contributing to Canadians and their communities, the Foundation has always sought to support innovative endeavors which encourage the development of human potential in pursuit of social, educational, and economic goals.
