Futures Fund

Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year® established the Futures Fund Scholarship for Outstanding Leadership to honour and mentor ten young Canadian university business students each year who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in their academic and extra-curricular initiatives.

The award program provides ten exceptional and deserving students with grants to further their educational ambitions. In addition, recipients will travel (accommodation and transportation are provided) to the Awards Gala to be presented with their scholarships.

Ten business schools are chosen each year to receive the scholarships. Recipients are selected by their school based on their achievements and demonstrated leadership initiatives in their academic and extracurricular activities.

Full-time graduate and undergraduate students in business degree programs are eligible. Interested students should contact their advising office for application instructions.

Futures Fund winners 2025

• Simone Boudreau

  Saint Mary’s University
  Sobey School Of Business

  Simone is completing a Bachelor of Commerce at Saint Mary’s University, majoring in Marketing and Economics with a Certificate in Sports Business. Passionate about leadership and expanding opportunities for women in sports business, she has been actively involved in the university community through the Commerce Society, Women in Business Society, and Enactus. Simone previously served on the Board of Directors for Sail Able Nova Scotia, a learn-to-sail organization for people with disabilities. Most recently, she founded CycleStrong, an initiative focused on helping female athletes better understand injury risk and training through menstrual cycle tracking, with goals to help close the gap in women’s sport science research. After graduating this spring, Simone hopes to continue with entrepreneurship, sport, and community impact.
• Paris Cai

  Western University
  Ivey Business School

  Paris is a student at the Ivey Business School with a strong interest in business strategy and community impact. Growing up in the French school system, she maintains a strong connection to her francophone background, which drew her to work in Montreal last summer. In 2020, she founded HomeworkHub, a non-profit initiative aimed at making academic support more accessible for students across the world. Paris is looking forward to broadening her global perspective next year during her exchange semester at ESSEC Business School in France. This summer, she is excited to return to Montreal to join McKinsey & Company as a Summer Business Analyst. She hopes to combine her strategic background and bilingual perspective to contribute to the Canadian business community in a meaningful way.
• Jacqueline Cowling

  University of Alberta
  Alberta School of Business

  Jacqueline is a Business Economics and Law student at the University of Alberta with a minor in Psychology and a Certificate in International Learning. As President of the Business Students’v Association in her third year, she was proud to lead and support her business classmates, providing a record-breaking 21 formal learning and networking events. On the policy front, she advanced initiatives to remove paywalled barriers to course materials, improving equitable access for students, and worked closely with Faculty leadership on updating the School’s Strategic Vision. She continues to represent the School in Canadian and International case competitions and collaborated with Indigenous community leaders to launch the Equity, Diversity, Inclusions, and Indigenization Case Competition. Jacqueline spent a semester at Copenhagen Business School, where she was immersed in Scandinavian culture and European business practices, including being part of the Copenhagen Women in Business network, focusing on advancing women in leadership in Europe. She remained involved at the UofA as a member of the Business Advisory Council and loved being a mentor to the next generation of business students. Jacqueline thrived with her junior hockey teammates throughout her degree, winning the Alberta Provincial Women’s Junior Championship in back-to-back seasons. She is currently considering pursuing law school in Canada or overseas.
• Chantal Elias

  University of British Columbia
  Sauder School of Business

  Chantal believes businesses have a powerful opportunity to drive meaningful progress on decarbonization. She previously worked at Gravity Research in Washington, DC, where she partnered with senior executives during periods of heightened scrutiny and crisis, providing strategic counsel on reputation management and stakeholder engagement. Passionate about Canada’s innovative cleantech landscape, she is particularly interested in solutions that accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. She is currently pursuing her MBA at the UBC Sauder School of Business, specializing in climate, and is co-president of the Women in Business association. Through her work and studies, Chantal is committed to developing creative strategies that align financial performance with ambitious sustainability goals. As a leader, she strives to bring key, diverse voices together to enable unique ideation and problem solving.
• Teya Knightingale

  University of Toronto
  Rotman Commerce

  Teya is completing her final year at the University of Toronto’s Rotman Commerce program, studying Finance and Environmental Economics. Driven by the intersection of finance and impact, she is committed to rethinking the flow of capital and encouraging others to do the same. Teya created a sustainable business pathways guide for students, published on Rotman Commerce’s website. Her campus leadership has spanned 13 roles across 6 student organizations. She founded UofT’s Pilates and Yoga Club, growing it to 700 members, and led panels, financial literacy workshops, and case competitions as President and Chair of business and sustainability groups. Last summer, Teya gained experience in impact investing, and this summer is joining the Business Development Bank of Canada as a Venture Capital intern. In the fall, she will begin an MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford.
• Ashlee Morgan

  University of New Brunswick
  Faculty of Business

  Ashlee is a JD/MBA student at the University of New Brunswick who is passionate about combining law and business. Before beginning her formal business education, she credits her earliest lessons in business to conversations had with her entrepreneurial family, who taught her that business owners have a responsibility to give back and uplift communities. Ashlee earned a Bachelor of Commerce (Co-op) from Memorial University in 2024, where she maintained strong academic standing, served on student council, and completed three work terms across global, start-up, and rural business environments. At UNB, she was recently elected as incoming Vice President of the Law Student Society and serves as an executive member of the UNB Feminist Legal Association. During the summer, Ashlee works at McInnes Cooper as a summer student, where she applies both her legal and business training while continuing to value academic, experiential, and mentorship-based learning.
• Makennah Murphy

  University of Windsor
  Odette School of Business

  Makennah Murphy is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the Odette School of Business, completing a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resources and a minor in English Literature. With a passion for student leadership, she is currently the President of the Odette Commerce Society and serves as an Eastern Board Representative for the Canadian Association of Business Students. Makennah recently introduced a 5-Days chapter at the University of Windsor to support the local homeless community. Outside academics, Makennah trained in martial arts for seven years, earning a black belt in nunchucks. Makennah’s academic and leadership contributions have been recognized through her other achievements, 2024 Made a Difference Award, 2025 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Leadership, and most recently the 2026 Lenore Simpson Woman in Business Award. Makennah will be joining the Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation as an Annual Giving Coordinator to support fundraising initiatives and strengthen community engagement.
• Kellan Rankin

  McGill University
  Desautels Faculty of Management

  Kellan is an MBA candidate at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management, specializing in entrepreneurship and management consulting. As President of the Desautels Graduate Consulting Club, he spearheads professional development initiatives, connecting students with industry leaders through networking events and case preparation workshops. A licensed Professional Engineer in Quebec, Kellan previously served as a Business Consultant at TELUS after completing a Master’s in Management Sciences at the University of Waterloo. Kellan is a lifelong athlete, competing in varsity lacrosse, curling, and now as the captain of the Desautels hockey team. Additionally, he proudly supports community initiatives including Movember and the annual Hockey Helps the Homeless charity tournament. This summer, he will join Bain & Company’s Montreal office as a Summer Associate to continue developing his leadership and consulting skills.
• Salwa Siddiqui

  Queen’s University
  Smith School of Business

  Salwa is an MBA candidate at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business with a passion for healthcare strategy, leadership, and improving Canadian healthcare systems. Prior to her MBA, Salwa earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from McMaster University and worked as an Emergency Department Registered Nurse at Trillium Health Partners, gaining frontline experience in patient care and health system operations. At Smith, she serves as President of the Healthcare Club and Program Director for the Smith National Case Competition, where she helps connect students with opportunities in healthcare leadership and consulting. Salwa is passionate about bridging clinical insight with business strategy and aspires to pursue a career in healthcare consulting, helping organizations drive innovation, improve system efficiency, and enhance patient outcomes.
• Emma White

  Memorial University of Newfoundland
  Faculty of Business Administration

  Emma White is a fifth-year Bachelor of Commerce (Co-op) student at Memorial University of Newfoundland. She has gained experience across both corporate and entrepreneurial environments. Emma currently works in procurement at ExxonMobil, supporting offshore operations and procurement activities, contributing to business value through supplier coordination and negotiations. Emma is actively involved in student leadership as Vice President of the Undergraduate Law Society, where she has successfully competed in national mooting competitions. She has also competed in case competitions, including one at the international level, developing strong analytical and problem-solving skills. As Communications Coordinator for Memorial’s 61st Business Day, she helped deliver a conference connecting students and industry professionals across the university. She also completed the Limitless Leadership Program, strengthening her focus on experiential learning and inclusive leadership. Emma aims to continue pursuing opportunities that align with her interests in business, law, and governance, while continuing to contribute to her community.