For Daniel Capurro, the Canadian Memorial Foundation (CMF) has helped make a longstanding dream a reality.
A graduate in History from King’s College London, Daniel applied for this year’s CMF scholarship primarily for academic reasons. Not only did McGill University in Montreal offer a very strong history department but also a specific focus on his area of great interest — indigenous and European settlement interaction on the trans Appalachian frontier during the 18th and early 19th centuries.
“The school’s expertise was a big draw for me, but so too was the opportunity to actually be in the place where it all happened,” says Daniel. “On top of that, Canada is a magnificent country, both geographically and culturally. It’s a place I’ve wanted to visit for a long time.”
Now well into the school year, Daniel hasn’t been disappointed by either the academic or social experience in Montreal. The campus experience, the quality of the curriculum and teaching and the atmosphere of the surrounding city have all been beyond his expectations.
“I don’t know if McGill is unique among Canadian universities but the approach here is very different than you’d find in the UK,” says Daniel. “Obviously the study content itself is far less Europe-centric, but I must say the close involvement and interest of the professors is really remarkable. And the city is a nice blend of Europe and North America. Very walkable, great restaurants, museums and parks. The campus and the city centre both have the feel of major hubs, culturally and academically, and it makes them exciting places to be.”
Almost 200 years old and consistently ranked among the top 25 universities globally, McGill is just one of numerous Canadian schools that offer entirely unique post-graduate study opportunities for international students.
With applications now open for the 2016 Canadian Memorial Foundation scholarship, the experience of Daniel and prior year’s scholars will hopefully be an inspiration for others. Daniel’s advice for aspiring applicants is three-fold:
- Be sure of what you want to study, why you want to do it in Canada and at what university.
- Make sure you’ve done or achieved something significant non-academically that demonstrates your leadership potential and makes you a more interesting candidate.
- Have a genuine interest in Canada.
“For any UK student, the opportunity to study and live in Canada for a year and to develop a lasting relationship with such an amazing country can only be a long-term benefit, both personally and professionally.”
Canada Memorial Scholar for 2015, Daniel Capurro, is studying for a post-graduate degree in history at McGill University in Montreal: “Magnificent”, he says.
