The transformative power of the Shad Manitoba experience
In July 2025, 35 high school students from across Canada joined Shad Manitoba at the University of Manitoba to build their skills, shape their mindset, and gain confidence for an ever-changing world. Shad is a transformational summer program and a launchpad for young innovators, now returning to UM for the third year in a row.
This year’s program focused on innovative and sustainable transportation solutions to meet the needs of Canadians. Each group of students received training in entrepreneurial and creative problem-solving, as well as pitching their ideas. They collaborated on projects to examine the realities of public transportation in Manitoba and design game-changing solutions to address the challenges they identified.
Daniel Heschuk and Shad students at a coaching session.
“Coaching the Shad participants has been an incredibly fulfilling experience. In just one month, I’ve had the opportunity to see an exceptional amount of growth in these students as they work in teams to solve a complex problem,” said Daniel Heschuk, program development specialist at the Science Innovation Hub, Faculty of Science.
The highlight of this program, hosted by several faculties at UM, is the unique opportunity for students to travel to Churchill. This year, the journey took on a new dimension through the lens of transportation, where the very act of reaching Churchill turned into an educational experience: a nine-hour bus ride to Thompson, followed by 16 hours on the train through the boreal forest and tundra.
Shad students at Churchill.
“The Shad students’ journey to Churchill offered a profound lesson in what it means to truly understand and appreciate life in a remote northern community. The distance alone underscores both the remoteness and the resilience that define life in these communities,” said Associate Dean (Administrative) Krystyna Koczanski.
Immersed in this journey, students experienced firsthand both the stark beauty and the daily challenges of life in the region.
Shad students at Churchill with Danielle Pahud.
“Once there, we toured the Churchill Marine Observatory and discussed how the proposed shipping port—and climate change in general—might affect the quality of the waters and ice, as well as the living beings that depend on them,” said Dr. Danielle Pahud, program director of Shad Manitoba and instructor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. “For example, we visited Polar Bears International to learn about how polar bears live and depend on Arctic sea ice. We also spent time on the water learning about and interacting with the beluga whales. It was a memorable, wonder-filled experience that I am grateful we were able to provide to the Shads. I hope they have returned to their homes and are sharing how special Churchill is with their friends and family all across the country.”
Krystyna Koczanski and Janine Carmichael at Shad students’ presentations, 2024.
Koczanski also emphasizes that these experiences serve as a reminder of why young people need adventure and courage to embrace uncertainty and risk: “This experience nurtures deeper empathy, respect, and awareness of what it means to live where geography and climate shape resources and opportunities.”
To see the students in action, please visit the Faculty of Science’s YouTube channel.
The program is made possible through strong collaboration across the university, working closely with Laurie Schnarr, Vice-Provost (Students), and supported by the office of Dr. Diane Hiebert-Murphy, Provost and Vice-President (Academic).