Congratulations to graduating St. Michael’s student Kinsale Philip on being named a McCall MacBain Scholars Regional Award recipient. This award recognizes not only his stellar academic and athletic records, but also his perseverance and ability to overcome obstacles, as well as his volunteer and advocacy work.
“Applying to the McCall MacBain Scholarship moved me. The experience was monumental, and I grew from it. I am so proud of everyone who applied, because doing so was vulnerable, and it took a lot of courage. Thank you to my references and to everyone who advised and supported me along the way,” says Kinsale.
Kinsale will be graduating from the University of Toronto this June with an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree, with a specialist in philosophy and minor in political science. As the first person in his family to go to university, he relied on multiple St. Michael’s scholarships for financial aid including the Richard Yee Memorial Bursary, the St. Michael’s College Grant, and the Lex Byrd Award.
Knowing he was interested in pursuing graduate studies, a friend suggested he apply for the McCall to MacBain Scholarship, which Kinsale describes as a Canadian version of Rhodes Scholarship. It is the largest leadership-based scholarships for master’s and professional studies in Canada; top recipients join a cohort at McGill University. The regional award will support Kinsale’s studies next year at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia.
“I knew my application was really competitive because I have worked so hard,” says Kinsale.
In the summer of 2023, he completed a placement at Dipchand LLP through the Avenue, an internship program offered by the Ontario Bar Association to help Black and/or Indigenous undergraduate students in Canada gain real-world experience in the legal industry. He boosted his legal experience by writing a post for the firm’s blog, an honour usually reserved for lawyers or articling students.
He balanced studies and work experience with playing for the Varsity Blues football team. He started playing quarterback and, when faced with a setback, successfully transitioned to defensive back, a feat rarely accomplished at the varsity level.
His application also cited his advocacy work, which stemmed from organizing a student petition in high school and led to canvassing and even mediating a youth panel for the BC Green Party, contributing a young person’s perspective to local politics.
He drew on his varied experiences throughout his application that included an intensive interview process. As part of the interview day, Kinsale spoke in front of industry leaders and had the opportunity to network with other award candidates and seek guidance from current McCall MacBain Scholars.
“It was important to make an impression, but all the interactions were very genuine. Being able to talk with the McCall McBain Scholars, who volunteered their time to come from Montreal to meet with us, was very valuable. I enjoyed chatting with them as they are some of the most exceptional people I’ve met. I was also able to ask their advice on how to approach the interview and they would tell us to be honest and relaxed,” said Kinsale.
Now on the west coast, Kinsale shows no signs of slowing down. As a law student at the University of British Columbia, he will dedicate his final year of U SPORTS eligibility playing for the Thunderbirds, the university’s football team.