Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB, has become the 16th university in Canada to host the national science and entrepreneurship program Shad at its campus.

The national organization announced Thursday that it would host a Shad cohort in July, joining University of New Brunswick as the universities in the province offering Shad programs.

Founded in 1980, Shad has become known as a leading incubator for innovation and entrepreneurship among high school students with a passion for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) and Entrepreneurship.

Every year, 900 young Canadians experience an innovative month-long program at one of 18 partner university campuses where they apply STEAM disciplines to real-life public policy and entrepreneurial challenges.

Last week, Shad announced it would bring its program to the University of Prince Edward Island. 

“Mount Allison offers a high quality liberal arts and sciences education where students can combine different disciplines to help prepare them for any career path,” said Mount A President Robert Campbell in a statement. “We are pleased to welcome the Shad summer program for high school students to our campus in 2018.”

As one of the smallest campuses and communities participating in the Shad program, students will have the unique opportunity to be SHAD representatives visible to an entire community. At the same time, the program will allow students to connect with academic and business leaders and support the growing culture of innovation there.  The students will see how big change can originate from a small place.

In August 2016, the New Brunswick government said it would spend $750,000 over five years to ensure more students in the province gained access to SHAD.

“SHAD was an amazing experience that I am still benefiting from today,” said Celine Kavanaugh, who is from Grand Falls, NB, and attended the program this past July.  “I’m visually impaired but found SHAD has a place for every student with a passion and drive to learn no matter the challenges they face in their daily lives.”

Shad is open to students in Grades 10, 11 and 12 and is accepting applications for summer 2018 from now until Nov. 20. You can apply at here.