2024 William Muir Edwards Citizenship Award — Muhammed S.

Muhammed S. is one of the 2024 recipients of the William Muir Edwards award.

Muhammed S. sees challenges as opportunities to make a positive impact in the lives of those around him. His passion for finding solutions to real-world problems is both emblematic of his character, but also a response to the adversities he has faced. Rather than sink into despair, these experiences deepened Muhammed’s resolve to lean into his community and look for ways to make things better as both a volunteer and as an aspiring tech leader. 

Sympathizing with the adversity faced by individuals, especially child amputees, Muhammed has devoted much of his time to volunteering and supporting fundraising efforts for organizations like The War Amps . As a long-time member of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps (RCSCC) , he gained more than just skills in marches, drills, and training; he learned the importance of service, citizenship, and discipline. Through these values, Muhammed has contributed to many fundraising campaigns, including efforts for Edmonton’s Food Bank and The Mustard Seed, helping those who are struggling with homelessness and hunger.

Building on his commitment to service, Muhammed has actively sought out additional opportunities to support his community and make a positive impact wherever he can.

Beyond his community work, Muhammed is actively involved with The Debtless Students (TDS) , a student-run initiative focused on mentoring peers through the college application process. Reflecting on his own struggles with navigating the complexities of college applications in high school, Muhammed is now dedicated to helping others who are in the same position. He aims to guide students in standing out in their applications, offering valuable advice and support. In addition to this, he assists students in refining their resumes, cover letters and other academic pursuits. Muhammed believes that no student should face barriers in reaching their potential, and he strives to ensure that access to resources and guidance is available to everyone.

His commitment to empowering young people extends beyond academic support, as he also strives to inspire creativity and curiosity in children, helping them build new skills and confidence through engaging STEM activities.

Muhammed has also volunteered for several programs, including CoderDojo at his local library, which encourages children to explore STEM through interactive games. During his time with CoderDojo, he taught kids programming concepts through fun and engaging activities. Seeing the impact of his work — how many kids became passionate about computer programming and advanced to higher levels — Muhammed was inspired to get involved in similar programs. He later became involved in additional library programs that taught programming applications for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to high school students.

Muhammed’s experiences with CoderDojo and other STEM programs inspired him to apply his skills to real-world challenges. He reflects on his time with seniors, including his widowed grandmother, who faced various struggles as she aged. Watching his grandmother rely on his mother for help with daily activities like meal preparation and household chores made Muhammed acutely aware of the practical difficulties older adults face. Motivated by this, he set out to design solutions that could improve the quality of life for seniors. For his efforts, Muhammed has gained recognition in multiple tech competitions. 

“I wanted to make the lives of (seniors) easier, and help them live independently,” says Muhammed. “This experience further sparked my journey into innovation and entrepreneurship, through which I hope to make bigger changes in people's lives.”

Now a third-year mechanical engineering student, Muhammed’s commitment to improving the lives of others through technology continues. Participation in local and international hackathons and various robotics competitions fueled his interest in mechanics, innovation and discovery.

“As an active citizen, I believe in empathy and action,” says Muhammed. “My experiences fuel my drive to help others. Through volunteering, I aim to build community, and offer support for those in need."

Named in honour of the Faculty of Engineering’s founding professor, the William Muir Edwards Citizenship Award recognizes Engineering at Alberta undergraduate students who have made exceptional contributions to society. It’s a celebration of citizenship and of engineering students who go to extraordinary lengths to make our world a better place. Special thanks to the David Morris Family Foundation for supporting our students and making the William Muir Edwards Citizenship Awards possible. 

Do you know an undergraduate student whose volunteerism, contributions, and efforts, both on-campus and off-campus, work to make the world a better place? Learn more about the nomination process »