From disbelief to a dream realized
An act of generosity has the power to make someone feel empowered, encouraged and inspired. For SAIT student Micah Haile, being on the receiving end of that generosity was a moment of disbelief.
“I remember very clearly: it was a snowy Thursday morning. I was waiting for the bus, and I got a ding on my watch …. the first line said ‘Congratulations.’ I just said, ‘No.’”
A moment of disbelief
The cause of Haile’s surprise on that winter morning was finding out he had been accepted into the Bissett Bursary Program — a program that covers tuition and other fees for Calgary and area high school students who demonstrate financial need, academic excellence and an interest in continuing education at SAIT.
“The first person I told was my sister,” recalls Haile. “She just said ‘Broooooh’ with a bunch of o’s.”
Navigating a new life in Canada
For Haile, his sister and mother, this was truly a shock and cause for excitement. As newcomers to Canada, Haile and his family were busy working to make ends meet and the path to post-secondary education was not straight-forward or realistic.
“Even joining high school was taking me away from time I could use to provide for my family,” he shares. “I told my teacher about my financial situation and why I had to leave class early every day. It was reflecting on my grades.”
Turning passion into possibility
Noticing his passion for math and engineering, Haile’s teacher told him about the Bissett Bursary Program and encouraged him to apply. It was that successful application that would change the path forward for Haile and his family as he was accepted into SAIT’s Engineering Technology program, something that has interested Haile his entire life.
“My passion for mechanical engineering is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a child,” he says.
A future made possible
Fast forward two years and Haile is set to graduate in spring of 2026 with plans to pursue further engineering education in the future. When he reflects on his journey, Haile says he would not have managed to achieve what he has without the generosity of the Bissett’s.
“Having less stress about finances helped me use that time to think about what I can do right now to make my stay here worthwhile,” he says. “What I'm currently living is a dream …. none of this would have been possible without this opportunity.”
Even with his successes and accomplishments — he currently serves as Vice President of SAIT’s Student Engineering Club and recently received funding for a research project — Haile is filled with humble gratitude.
“I can name thousands of others who are deserving … I’m extremely grateful ... the words ‘thank you’ don’t do enough justice to explain how I feel.”
Find out how you can make a difference in the lives of SAIT students like Micah Haile at sait.ca/donors/how-to-donate.
Tomorrow’s talent, today
The Real Futures campaign will enable SAIT to deliver on the promise to transform who, how and what we teach in response to the changes unfolding across our communities, technologies and economies. With a fundraising target of $150 million, the campaign will assure SAIT’s continued ability to provide the training and skills that industry needs to stay relevant and that students need to thrive, whatever vision of tomorrow they’re working toward.
Oki, Âba wathtech, Danit'ada, Tawnshi, Hello.
SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.
We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.