"I have loved science since I was a kid, and my mom being a biologist was a major influence in my decision to pursue biology in university." 

This was the immediate response of Varsity Blues women's hockey player Juliette Blais-Savoie when asked about why she has chosen her field of study. Now in the MSc in Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology program, Blais-Savoie first arrived on campus at U of T from San Jose, California in 2019, where she began that pursuit of a biology degree.  

She has since completed her undergraduate degree, double-majoring in human biology and ecology & evolutionary biology, while also minoring in writing & rhetoric. This is all in addition to competing as a member of the Varsity Blues women's hockey program and earning five consecutive academic all-Canadian honours. Before the start of this current season, she had already appeared in 86 games wearing the Blue & White, helping U of T win two OUA provincial titles in 2020 and 2023, along with U SPORTS national silver in 2024. 

"U of T offers the best of both athletics and academics," outlined Blais-Savoie. "I've been able to win multiple championships and consistently attend national competitions, while also conducting exciting and groundbreaking research. There's no other university in Canada that offers the same extent of opportunity in both areas." 

Yet, Blais-Savoie has explored even beyond the classroom and ice rink at U of T. Now in her sixth year at the University of Toronto, she has also been a member of the EcoAthletes organization, volunteered at the Holland-Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, assisted with the University of Toronto First Response team, participated as part of the Canadian Youth Committee for the World Health Assembly, and served as a research mentor to undergraduate students with the U of T Undergraduate Research Student Association. 

"I just enjoy working with others and the support that kind of environment provides," explained Blais-Savoie. "It takes lots of lists and planners and getting work done on the many bus rides to away games." 

As she rounds out her Varsity Blues experience now in her fifth and final year of eligibility, Blais-Savoie reflected on one of her first major academic achievements, while also looking to what comes next. 

"Getting my first journal publication was what made me feel like a real scientist, and then winning the Canadian Graduate Scholarship from the Canadian Institutes for Heath Research because I felt that my work was being recognized at a national level," said Blais-Savoie. "And now I am in the process of converting my MSc into the PhD program, where once that is completed I would have the chance to either pursue a medical degree or postdoctoral fellowship."