January 29, 2025
The three inaugural winners of the Scholarship founded in 2024 are Samar Jain and Nida Atique from British Colombia, and Eunsae Lee from Ontario.
January 29, 2025 (Toronto, ON) – The Giller Foundation and Mantella Corporation are proud to announce the return of the Giller Mantella Scholarship which is dedicated to supporting underserved Black, Indigenous, and racialized students across Canada. Building on the success of 2024’s three inaugural $10,000 recipients, and responding to a high demand, the program now expands to include second and third-year undergraduate students alongside high school graduates.
Applications open February 17, 2025, and close April 2, 2025. Scholarship Partners Canada, a division of Universities Canada, is administering the scholarship on behalf of The Giller Foundation. The Scholarship is specifically for students with an interest in creative writing and literature who often face a range of challenges in pursuing their careers. Challenges often include limited access to resources, mentorship opportunities, and exposure to the literary world perpetuated by economic disparities, cultural biases, and a lack of representation in literary institutions.
The Giller Mantella Scholarship aims to address these issues by providing vital financial support to nurture and preserve literary talent among these underserved communities. Eligible students must demonstrate academic excellence, extracurricular involvement, and a passion for creative writing and literature.
Elana Rabinovitch, Executive Director of the Giller Prize and the Giller Foundation said the Scholarship is a vital addition to the Foundation’s initiatives and a significant step toward shaping Canada’s literary landscape. Since 1994, the Giller Prize has celebrated Canada’s most accomplished literary voices. The Giller Mantella Scholarship aims to build on this legacy by supporting emerging authors from diverse and underrepresented communities.
“By establishing the Giller Mantella scholarship in 2024, the Foundation acknowledged the importance of supporting emerging writers, particularly from marginalized communities, thus reinforcing its commitment to inclusivity and diversity in the literary field,” Rabinovitch said. “This initiative aligns with the Foundation’s goal to not only honour established authors through awards but also to cultivate new talent and ensure a richer, more varied literary landscape in Canada.”
Sylvia Mantella, Vice President of Marketing, Sponsorship, and Philanthropy of the Mantella Corporation said the scholarship was created to bridge the gap for marginalized students by enhancing post-secondary education and career goal achievements. “Investment in Canadian youth scholarships reinforces Mantella Corporation’s commitment to inspire future generations of Canadian storytellers and to send a message of support, opportunity, and inclusion to young people from diverse backgrounds pursuing careers in the literary arts,” she said.
Mantella added, “By funding these scholarships, we aspire to convey the idea that talent and potential exist in all communities, regardless of socioeconomic status, and that every young person deserves access to resources which can help them realize their creative and professional aspirations.”
The three inaugural Scholarship winners are Samar Jain and Nida Atique from British Columbia and Eunsae Lee from Ontario, Canada. They have expressed immense gratitude for the financial support that will aid them in the pursuit of their dreams.
Jain is on track to make history as the first in his family to attend college. He remembers the moment he learned of his scholarship win with excitement and relief. “I felt unburdened. My family and I were relieved, happy, and excited,” he said. “I know that now I can be a little bit freer and foster educational and intellectual engagement without having to worry about finances and tuition costs.”
Atique was pleasantly surprised to find out she was selected as a winner. “I never would have thought that my passion for writing and literature could lead to such an accomplishment,” she said beaming. Lee, who initially found the application process daunting, had a similar reaction. “I was completely over the moon,” she said, noting that she had to re-read the email several times for the news to truly sink in.
The Giller Foundation’s long-term goals for the Scholarship include expanding access to literary resources and opportunities for underrepresented writers, fostering a more inclusive literary community and ensuring that diverse stories are told and celebrated. Simultaneously, the Mantella Corporation anticipates a dual impact of the Scholarship: to empower recipients through financial resources and support and by extension the encouragement needed to pursue their literary dreams. “We are encouraging parents and students alike to save the date for February 17 when applications open,” Mantella said. “We can’t wait to celebrate the next generation of talented young writers at the awards ceremony later this year.”
-30-
GILLER MANTELLA SCHOLARSHIP AWARDEE BIOS
Nida Atique:
Nida Atique is an English Language and Literature student at the University of British Columbia, who is passionate about storytelling and education. Aspiring to become a teacher, Nida is dedicated to inspiring future generations through literature and fostering a love for learning. She values creativity, diversity, and the transformative power of words. Nida lives in Richmond, BC.
Eunsae Lee:
Eunsae Lee is a first-year student studying English Literature at the University of Toronto. She is an avid lover of poetry, particularly Richard Siken and Margaret Atwood’s works. She is passionate about creative writing, both in poetry and short fiction. Born in Seoul, South Korea, she now calls Toronto and Peterborough her home.
Samar Jain:
Samar Jain, from Surrey, British Columbia, is pursuing undergraduate studies at the University of British Columbia and Sciences Po Paris. For Samar, writing has been a personal form of catharsis since middle school. Whether creating new worlds to escape into or exploring the depths of human emotion, Samar has found clarity and solace in words. He has channelled this passion into gaining a deeper understanding of, and shedding light on, chapters of our past and present that often fade into obscurity amid the glitter of the modern world. When not working on chapters of his upcoming book or editing his next editorial for the campus newspaper, he actively participates in Model UN conferences and youth parliaments, where he debates global affairs and public policy and advocates for human rights and democracy.
