By Laura Fitzgerald

Duncan McLeod’s desire to succeed propelled him through pre-med at Oakland University. The Community Foundation helps McLeod and many other students like him achieve those dreams through social and financial support.

McLeod, a 2021 grad from St. Clair High School, graduated with a 4.0 GPA with a degree in biomedical sciences in May. He will begin medical school at Wayne State University July 1.

McLeod received $1,000 per year for four years from the St. Clair Foundation Fund, which enabled him to pay for books, supplies, and a small amount of tuition. The money he saved in scholarships from the Foundation and Oakland enabled him to live on campus, where he played on Oakland’s hockey team, worked a campus job, participated in research, volunteered, and built a rich social life.

“We couldn’t be more proud. For him to be accepted into medical school on the first round of applications is tremendous,” McLeod’s father, Joe McLeod, said. “His approach to school and sports is the same: he just dedicates himself to it. When he decided he wanted to go to medical school, he was just laser-focused on the end goal.”

“He is very self-driven and self-motivated,” added Annmarie McLeod, Duncan’s mother. “He is a very grateful person and grateful for knowledge. He is definitely a hard worker. He is great at juggling and prioritizing multiple priorities. He kept his moral compass, and stayed true to himself, his beliefs, and his values. He knew he was at school for a purpose.”

Mcleod’s father is a police officer, and his mother a teacher, which made paying for college for Duncan and his two other siblings difficult (a third sibling entered the military). The East China family said the scholarship eased the financial burden of school and allowed Duncan to focus on his studies.

“The scholarship helped give me that push, knowing I had help financially, to focus better on my academics,” Duncan McLeod said. “I worked my hardest in order to be grateful for that scholarship and make it all worth it.”

Duncan McLeod has always loved science and helping people. His family’s medical struggles in his childhood – including a late uncle’s unfortunate battle with a brain tumor and his grandmother’s experience with lung cancer – inspired him to explore medicine. He volunteered at a local hospital and homeless shelter, which further cemented his career goals.

If he specializes in the future, Duncan said he is interested in anesthesiology and/or orthopedic surgery.

More About the Foundation’s Scholarships and How you can Support Students Like Duncan

Our focus has evolved beyond college access,” said Jessica Flann, Program Officer for Post-Secondary Success. “We’re now deeply committed to student success through college, not just student to the door. That shift has allowed us to walk alongside many of our scholars throughout their entire undergraduate journey.”

As the Foundation continues to invest in the long-term success of local students, we invite donors, partners, and community members to join us. Whether you’re establishing a new scholarship or contributing to an existing one, your support has the power to shape a student’s future—not just for a semester, but for the full journey.

Donations to any of the Foundation’s scholarship funds can be made at stclairfoundation.org. To discuss establishing a new scholarship fund, please contact Foundation Vice President Jackie Hanton at (810) 984-4761 or jackie@stclairfoundation.org.