SHAD (summer program)


Shad Canada is an annual Canadian summer enrichment program for high-achieving high school students in July. The program is open to both Canadian and international students. The program is offered at 21 participating universities across Canada.
Shad focuses on both academic learning through lectures, workshops, labs and group projects as-well as the development of an individual and community. These experiences are usually focused on the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts, and/or mathematics.
There is a rigorous application process, which goes in-depth into both the students' academics and extra-curriculars. In 2020, over 2,400 students applied. Shad normally runs for four weeks in July. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SHAD has been hosted online during the summer of 2020 and the summer of 2021.

History

The Shad program was founded by Dr. Derek Lane-Smith, a teacher, physicist, and entrepreneur. The first summer program ran at St. Andrew's College in Aurora, Ontario in July, 1981, and has since expanded to 19 university campuses across Canada. The program is named after the shad, a kind of fish found in Shad Creek, near Aurora.
Shad Canada is a non-profit organization based in Waterloo, Ontario. Tim Jackson is the current President and CEO of Shad Canada.

Shad Program

During the month, Shads participate in various activities including lectures, workshops, labs, group projects, recreational activities and more. Shads also participate in a Real-World Design Project. In the project, Shads are presented with the current year's theme and propose a solution. A ‘Shad’ is the recognition of the ambition, drive collaboration inherent in a Shad program graduate. This special recognition opens the door into the alumni network of 19,000+ Shads. The Shad Network is as diverse as its program and includes founders and CEOs, international academics, social entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, best-selling authors, and AI innovators. The network has a range of participants at various stages of career and business success—from start-up to million-dollar organizations, Rhodes Scholars and university, and philanthropists and social entrepreneurs.
At the end of the program, each Shad campus hosts an event known as "Open Day", attended by parents and friends of the Shads at the campus.

Real-World Design Project

Each year, Shad presents a "Real-World Design Project" to its participants. The project's "theme", usually an important issue that has both economic and societal implications and differs each year, is revealed to all of the Shad participants in the first week of the program. The project is to be completed in teams before the program's end. Each group must plan and design a product or service that addresses the issue at hand, create a working prototype and business plan, and pitch their product in a process intended to simulate an entrepreneurial experience.
The theme for 2023 was "How might we re-imagine living spaces for Canadians in ways that increase sustainability, accessibility, and community connection?". The theme for 2022 was "How might we improve the
well-being of Canadians?". The theme for 2020 was "How might we leverage space as a creative research platform to advance humankind?".
The theme for 2019 was "How might we help Canadians impactfully reduce waste?"
The 2018 theme was "Helping Canadian communities become more resilient against natural disaster," and was revealed via a video message from NASA and Canadian astronaut Andrew J. Feustel.
Previous themes have included: "Disaster & Emergency Preparedness", "Health & Wellness", "The Great Canadian Energy Challenge", "Zero Waste Technology", "Design with Conscience", "Nature and Natural Fibres", "Designing for Canada's Aging Population", "Improving the Quality of Life for a Canadian Child with a Disability", and "Preventing/Reducing Obesity in North American Youth","Why don't you go play outside?", "How might we improve food security for Canadians?", "Meaningfully reducing Canada’s energy footprint", "Helping Canadian communities become more resilient against natural disaster", "How might we help Canadians impactfully reduce waste?", "How might we leverage space as a creative research platform to advance humankind?", "How might we help Canadians treat our fresh water with more respect?", "How might we re-imagine living spaces for Canadians in ways that increase sustainability, accessibility, and community connection?".

Host universities

Current

There are currently 19 Shad campuses:
Shad has more than 19,000 Shad alumni in 36 countries, 32 of whom are Rhodes Scholars. Among SHAD alumni, there are also Loran Scholars and Schulich Leaders. Additionally, several Canadian post-secondary schools offer scholarships for Shad alumni.
Notable SHAD Fellows include:
  • Michele Romanow, Shad 2003, youngest member of CBC's Dragons' Den, co-founder of Buytopia.ca, 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada
  • Ted Livingston, Shad 2004, Founder of Kik Interactive, parent company of the mobile app Kik Messenger
  • Darlene Lim, Shad 1989, top research scientists currently involved in scientific exploration and Mars discovery, working closely with NASA
  • Neil Pasricha, Shad 1998, his "The Book of Awesome" series and "The Happiness Equation" have landed him on New York Times Best Sellers and #1 International Best Sellers lists.
  • Parker Mitchell, Shad 1993, co-founder and former CEO of Engineers Without Borders. He also co-founded Significance Labs, a charity that connects the tech world with low-income America.