Kayla Burton turns passion for learning into prestigious scholarship
May 25, 2026
When Kayla Burton received word that she had been selected as a McCall MacBain Scholar, one of the first people she thought about was her mother.
The fourth-year student at Wilfrid Laurier University surprised Michelle Pettigrew on her birthday with the news that she had won the prestigious scholarship.
Overcome with pride and joy, mom burst into tears as she watched the journey she had long envisioned for her daughter continue to unfold.
For the personal support worker, the scholarship was not an unexpected breakthrough, but rather the continuation of a path she had observed Burton build through years of discipline, determination and self-motivation.
“This scholarship confirmed what I had already seen in Kayla for years,” said Pettigrew. “She is committed to excellence and determined to make the most of every opportunity she receives.”
An only child who once cried on snow days because she wanted to be in school rather than stay home and play, Burton developed an early passion for learning that would help shape her future.
Next semester, she will enter McGill University’s Integrated Program in Neuroscience, one of the largest graduate neuroscience programs in North America, with more than 600 students.
At a time when societies are confronting rising mental health challenges, neurological diseases, aging populations and rapid advances in artificial intelligence, the study of neuroscience at the graduate level is becoming increasingly important. The field continues to drive research and innovation aimed at improving human health, understanding behaviour and shaping the future of technology.
Burton said her interest in psychology and neuroscience has evolved significantly since childhood.
“Since Grade 5, I knew I wanted to study psychology,” said the Ajax native. “But what that meant has shifted over the years. Initially, I figured I wanted to help people. I also felt like I was good at gauging people. I was thinking of doing more of a clinical psychology-type role, sitting down and diagnosing people. As I learned more about psychology, I realized I liked the behind-the-scenes aspect more, like the actual research and finding out why people behave the way they do and coming up with methods about how to help.”
Out of more than 700 applicants from across the country, Burton was among 19 Canadians selected as one of the McCall MacBain Scholars. Yet she remains humble about what may have set her apart.
“It is hard to say,” she noted. “While I am not downplaying the things I have done, it tells me that people around me see things I am not seeing in myself. I am living my life and not looking for praise or recognition. It says others are noticing the things I care about and am doing.”
Beyond the recognition, Burton said the scholarship also brought relief for both her and her family.
“The financial aspect was a major consideration,” she said. “After just completing a four-year undergraduate degree, the thought of taking on another financial burden for graduate school felt overwhelming. I am grateful that my mom and those who have really supported me will not have to worry about that.”
Leadership and community engagement have already become central parts of Burton’s university journey. During her time at Laurier, she worked with Laurier Athletics and Recreation, helping promote recreational programming through social media.
Her contributions and creativity did not go unnoticed by those around her professionally.
“My manager (Tyra Forde) made it feel like it was an open space where I could share my ideas and they were embraced,” Burton, who graduates on June 16, pointed out. “If the idea was not hitting the mark, we took it and moulded it into something that worked. That was one of the first times in my adult life that I felt the things I was saying were being taken into account and that they mattered.
“I worked under her for three years and our relationship grew through that. She became more hands-off as I gained her trust. I had a small team of two that I taught and helped grow. I learned there is mutual benefit in leadership.”
Forde said Burton’s ability to connect with people has been one of her defining strengths throughout her time at Laurier.
“What sets Kayla apart as both a leader and a person is her ability to form genuine connections with people,” the communications & student engagement co-ordinator said. “She excels at bringing people in and making them feel comfortable in a variety of settings. She interacted with a wide cross-section of the school community across departments, faculties, clubs and recreation activities with positivity, enthusiasm and a genuine passion for building community.”
As Burton’s confidence and leadership presence expanded beyond the recreation team and into the broader campus and community, Forde said her success became increasingly evident.
“As Kayla’s confidence and sense of self developed through opportunities on campus and in the community, it became clear that the bar she sets for herself is always high and she consistently rises to meet it,” she added. “I was not surprised to learn that she received a McCall MacBain Scholarship, but I am incredibly excited to see how she continues to flourish and what she will accomplish through this fantastic opportunity.”
Forde’s encouragement to create opportunities for others also helped inspire Burton to found the Black Science Club at Laurier after noticing a lack of representation in many of her science classes.
“That stemmed from me not seeing many people who looked like me in my classes,” she said. “I started an Instagram account to gauge interest. I followed people I knew were in science and others who were suggested to me. I put a poll on my Instagram story asking if the club was something people would be interested in, and everyone said yes.
“From there, I created a Google form and people had to sign on in support of the club. We needed a required number of signatures to bring it to the student union for approval. That part was easy, but getting the student union to approve it took quite a while. I hope the momentum we built continues as I move on. I am excited to see where it goes.”
Burton’s passion for helping young people has also become closely connected to her academic interests.
She currently works with the City of Kitchener on youth programs, where she has witnessed firsthand the growing impact of social media on mental health.
“By working with them, I am seeing the impact of social media, which is something tied into my research,” Burton said. “The main community I am seeking to target is youth and helping them combat mental health struggles that are perpetuated by social media. I am helping them create a healthier relationship with how they interact with social media and their phones. Working with youth at the age I am working with them is a great time to step in as a mentor and have intentional conversations with them. I definitely want to do that on a broader scale.”
For young Canadians who may feel opportunities such as the McCall MacBain Scholarship are out of reach, the young scholar encouraged them to believe in themselves and take the chance.
“For me, I saw the application and it ticked the boxes I was looking for and I decided to give it a shot,” Burton said. “I could not predict the outcome. If you have a goal and you see something that can help push you toward that goal, just go for it. Believe in yourself. Only two answers can come out of it, yes or no. Even if I did not win the scholarship, going through the interview process was so helpful in learning more about myself and learning how to conduct myself in an interview. There are so many things you learn along the way.”
As she prepares to begin graduate studies, she hopes to focus on social neuroscience research examining how people interact with social media and with one another.
“I was debating between the psychology and neuroscience programs, but I was planning to do similar research in either stream,” Burton said. “I am planning to focus more on a social neuroscience aspect, still focusing on humans and how they interact with each other and social media, but then looking neurologically at what brain regions are affected and taking research about those brain regions and applying it to help combat those problems.”
Is a PhD next?
“I am not sure if I am thinking about a doctorate yet,” Burton, who enjoys dancing, said. “I want to work in research and you do not necessarily need a PhD to do that, at least right away. I will try to get a job in research with a master’s degree and see how that goes.”
She said her success would not have been possible without the support of family, mentors and university staff who believed in her along the way.
“My parents, mom and dad Austin Burton and my stepdad Chelsey Bright, have always been supportive,” she said. “They have been my biggest cheerleaders. People from the Laurier Career Centre, including Bethany Correia and Lisa Roy, also helped me believe in myself more.”
When asked what stood out about Burton during the scholarship application process, Roy said she naturally embodied the very qualities the McCall MacBain Scholarship seeks to recognize.
“Kayla did not have to try to embody the criteria of the scholarship, which are character, community, leadership, entrepreneurship and intellectual curiosity,” Roy said. “She just was the criteria. She did not have to work at growing and developing in those areas. She naturally gravitated to opportunities to build and give to her community, contribute to the development of others and find new ways and solutions.
“The thing that stood out most for me in supporting Kayla was that she did not even know how strong an applicant she was because Kayla was just being Kayla. That is simply how she goes about her day, the choices she makes and the way she sees the world.”
Even without the scholarship, Burton said graduate school was always part of the plan.
“I still would have gone to grad school and McGill was the only university I applied to outside Ontario,” she said. “I also applied to Guelph, Western and McMaster, which was my top Ontario choice.”
Burton recalled that McGill had been on her radar long before she applied.
“At the end of my third year when I was thinking about graduate school, I had a few schools in mind and did not know where I should apply,” she said. “McGill had always been at the back of my mind. Last year, I saw an email that came through Wilfrid Laurier and it caught my attention. At first, I thought it was for undergrads.”
As Burton prepares to begin the next chapter at McGill, her journey stands as a reminder that quiet determination, compassion for others and a sense of purpose can carry young people far beyond the limits they may once have imagined for themselves.
