Chloe Reid (fourth-year French and Psychology double major) is one of the 52 finalists for the prestigious McCall MacBain scholarship. In March, Chloe and her fellow finalists will be jetting off to Montreal to participate in the final round of interviews. The scholarship provides a fully funded Master’s or professional degree program at McGill University for up to 30 of over 700 applicants along with life-long mentorship and leadership development opportunities.

Successful candidates are scholars who, according to the program description, “lead with purpose – individuals who have demonstrated leadership potential and an inner drive to make a positive impact in other people’s lives.”

Dr. Ashlee Cunsolo (Provost and Vice-President Academic) says, “Chloe embodies the leadership attributes of the McCall MacBain Scholarship. She leads with purpose and heart and has an innate drive to improve the lives of those around her, while contributing positively to society. As a leader, she creates the spaces for others to grow and thrive, and she brings her compassion, creativity, and academic prowess to all she does.”

During her nearly four years at Acadia, Chloe has certainly led with purpose as she’s grown into a leader who prioritizes compassion, small acts of kindness, and big dreams. And that hasn’t gone unnoticed by the mentors she’s grown close with over her four years in Wolfville, like Dr. Roxanne Seaman (Director of the Sensory Motor Instructional Leadership Experience (S.M.I.L.E.) Program).

“Chloe Reid is an expectational young woman whose leadership, dedication, and passion for health and well-being is truly inspiring,” says Dr. Seaman. “I have seen Chloe excel as an Instructor and Leader, who works graciously and diligently to ensure the program is a success. Outside of S.M.I.L.E., she has shown her outstanding leadership skills in numerous venues throughout her time at Acadia. This has demonstrated her remarkable ability to balance academic excellence with her volunteer commitment all while maintaining a genuine smile. Chloe's exceptional skills, unwavering dedication, and positive attitude will continue to inspire and make a positive impact wherever she goes!”

Shoot for the moon

Chloe’s mentors at Acadia have continuously inspired her to shoot for the moon. Chloe says, “I didn’t think I had any shot at the scholarship, but I talked to a few of my mentors, and they encouraged me to apply anyway.”

Following the example set by her mentors and going all in on big opportunities is one of the pillars of leadership that Chloe is taking with her from her time at Acadia.

“That’s been an exciting thing for me during my time at Acadia: seeing the ideas in my head come to fruition. I encourage people to think big. The times I’ve tried something big and new have often been the times that led to the best results that were better than I had dreamed possible.”

Dreaming big for Chloe also means seizing the moment and not waiting until it’s the “right time” to step up and be the leader your community needs. There will never be a perfect time, or perfect conditions to lead. She says that anyone can make a change, no matter where they are at in their own leadership journeys.

“Some people might fear that they can’t make a genuine difference at the undergrad level and that they need to wait to have a certain qualification,” she explains. “But I’ve seen at Acadia that even if they’re small, you can make tangible changes right now. You don’t have to wait to do it.”

“I was thinking of going to a bigger school, but I’m glad I went to a small undergrad, and I’m glad I chose Acadia. There’s this strong sense that we’re all in this together.”

In addition to faculty mentors, other student leaders at Acadia have inspired Chloe to grow as a leader. In her work with the Acadia Mental Health Initiative (AMHI), which she has led for three years, she’s grateful for the collaborations she’s been able to pull off with other organizations on campus, like the Acadia Food Cupboard. “When you come together as a community of leaders,” she explains, “you can create something even more impactful and special.”

“When leaders in our community see a need for change and they take on creating an initiative to solve those problems it is inspirational. We fuel each other. When you see other leaders leading change, we can build on each other.”

Small act, big impact

Alongside her big dreams, Chloe has seen the massive impact that small acts can make.

Even though a lot of her work with the AMHI has been on a big scale, like introducing Squishmallow bingo and developing a consistent therapy dog program, many of the biggest changes she’s made at Acadia have been on a smaller, individual scale.

She says that working with the AMHI has shown her that it’s impossible to know what any person is going through, and that “one small act can change the course of their day.”

Chloe recalls that during her time as a Resident Assistant, she would sometimes see notes that she had written during AMHI events pinned to students’ walls. She had no idea that those little notes would have an impact, but seeing students hold onto them showed her that what she’s doing matters.

“Working in wellbeing you’re trying to plant seeds of hope, and you never know what’s going to grow or stick,” she says. “But you have to trust that it’s going to help someone at the end of the day. One little conversation can have more of a ripple effect than you think.”

Leading with compassion

The small acts that Chloe has seen make a big change are, for her, based in her approach of leadership through compassion. When it comes to leadership, Chloe says she doesn’t see herself as the typical leader. “I’m not the loudest person in the room,” she says. “But being able to notice and walk alongside people can be meaningful.”

Learning that even though she’s on the quieter side has shown her that everyone has the capacity to be a leader, but that leadership will look different for everyone. “There isn’t one way to be a leader. Embrace that everyone can lead differently and that’s beautiful. Even if you don’t think you have the quality of a leader, I encourage you to look within.”

A legacy of leadership

“I want my legacy to not be what I have achieved and what I’ve done, but the way I’ve done it. I hope people remember I did it with kindness and integrity with positive intentions. You aren’t the sum of your accomplishments but who you are while you’re doing it.”

Her dream is to one day open her own counselling centre that tries out new and innovative practices. She hopes that it will be a wellness hub that serves different demographics for people who can’t always access free mental healthcare.

No matter how the interview process turns out, as a finalist Chloe is guaranteed $10,000 of funding to attend McGill next year. And whether she becomes a McGillian or not, students at Acadia will be feeling the ripple effects of Chloe’s leadership for many years to come.

“It’s been a pleasure to get to know Chloe through this process,” says Dr. Cunsolo, “and we will all be cheering her on as she heads to Montreal to participate in the final interviews.”