Programme de bourses d’études

Kaleb Boates

St. Francis Xavier University
Mary Kay

Kaleb, a fourth-year Bachelor of Business Administration student in Finance at St. Francis Xavier University, credits his mother’s career in Mary Kay with shaping his understanding of entrepreneurship, leadership and resilience. Through watching her prioritize relationships, help others and persevere through setbacks, Kaleb learned that success extends beyond profit and is ultimately measured by the positive impact one creates.

Inspired by these lessons, Kaleb has embraced leadership and community service throughout university. He leads Pucks for Purpose, which has raised more than $385,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society and motionball for Special Olympics, while also serving as Pre-Law Society President and a Students’ Union governing board representative. After overcoming a challenging first year, he strengthened his academic performance and involvement, earning the Sophomore of the Year Award. His experiences have reinforced his commitment to purpose-driven leadership and creating meaningful change, regardless of whether his future path is in business, law or public service.

View Kaleb’s video submission.

Claire Murrell

McGill University
Juice Plus+

Claire Murrell, a third-year Political Science student at McGill University, credits her mother’s direct selling business with making her education possible. After her father’s car accident ended his construction career and eliminated the family’s main source of income, her mother relied on Juice Plus to provide financial stability while maintaining the flexibility to raise Claire and her sister. This experience shaped Claire’s belief that the value of work should be measured by the security and opportunities it provides, rather than by assumptions about its structure.

Claire is proud of earning her place at McGill, where exposure to classmates from diverse cultural and political backgrounds has strengthened her critical thinking and broadened her worldview. Her experiences growing up with economic uncertainty, including her father’s recent battle with cancer, have also inspired her goal of pursuing union law. She hopes to advocate for workers’ rights and use her ability to explain complex ideas to help people gain the protections and bargaining power her family lacked.

View Claire's video submission.

Clarice Mah

Capilano University
Cutco/Vector Marketing

Clarice Mah, a third-year Bachelor of Business Administration student at Capilano University, credits direct selling with shaping her work ethic, leadership skills, and personal growth. Inspired by her parents’ long history with Cutco and Vector Marketing, she began selling Cutco in 2022 and has since held roles as a sales representative, assistant manager, branch manager, and trade-show coordinator. She has developed resilience, confidence, time management, communication skills, and a strong growth mindset through her direct selling experience.

Academically, Clarice is proud of becoming a Top 8 finalist in the 2026 CPABC Annual Business Case Competition, where she led a team through an intensive case analysis and presentation process. Her experiences in direct selling and Enactus have strengthened her ability to create value in both business and community settings, while her marathon and triathlon training reflect her commitment to long-term goals. Looking ahead, she hopes to build a global career combining business, leadership, and international opportunities, motivated by the positive impact she can have on others.

View Clarice’s video submission.

Jamie Petersson

University of Calgary 
Juice Plus+

Jamie Petersson, a third-year PhD student in Medical Sciences at the University of Calgary, credits her mother’s experience in direct selling with shaping her values of wellness, independence, collaboration, and meaningful connection. Through her mother’s work with Juice Plus, Jamie saw firsthand how direct selling restored her mother’s confidence, purpose, and well-being while strengthening their family. These experiences also influenced Jamie’s approach to research, helping her develop stronger networking, communication, and relationship-building skills.

A high-achieving researcher with six peer-reviewed publications and two book chapters, Jamie’s most meaningful accomplishment has been transitioning into psychosocial oncology, where her work is more directly connected to patients and communities. Inspired by her father’s cancer journey and her commitment to helping others, she hopes to become a holistic healthcare practitioner specializing in integrative cancer care. Her long-term goal is to bridge research and patient care by developing accessible, evidence-informed wellness approaches that improve both physical and emotional well-being and create lasting impact in communities.

View Jamie’s video submission.

Shayla Herman

University of Saskatchewan
Cutco/Vector Marketing

Shayla Herman, a second-year University of Saskatchewan law student, credits direct selling with playing a significant role in her personal and professional development. Beginning with CUTCO in 2019, she gained confidence, communication, leadership, time management, and resilience while earning scholarships, supporting herself through university, managing branch offices, and mentoring others. The experience also strengthened her appreciation for entrepreneurship, hard work, integrity, and building genuine, trust-based relationships.

Her proudest academic achievement is being accepted into law school, a milestone she attributes in part to the discipline and perseverance developed through balancing academics and direct selling. Looking ahead, Shayla hopes to build a career as a lawyer while continuing meaningful community service. Her volunteer experience with Pro Bono Students Canada’s YWCA Tenant’s Rights Project reinforced her desire to use her legal education to advocate for others and improve access to legal support, combining professional success with service and positive community impact.

View Shayla's video submission.

L’AVD/FÉVD se réserve le droit de mettre fin à ce programme à tout moment. Le Comité de sélection des bourses d’études a la responsabilité exclusive de sélectionner les récipiendaires en fonction des critères énoncés dans la description. Tous les candidats doivent accepter les décisions du comité comme étant définitives. Les candidatures deviennent la propriété de l’AVD/FÉVD. Toute question concernant les bourses d’études doit être envoyée à l’adresse courriel : info@dsa.ca.