Three high school students from York Region have been selected as finalists for the 2025 Loran Scholarship Award.
Sarina Sajjadi of École Secondaire Catholique Renaissance in Aurora, Weichen Xu of Sacred Heart Catholic High School in Newmarket and Ethan Bui of St. Theresa of Lisieux Catholic High School in Richmond Hill will join 29 other finalists from Ontario in interviewing for the chance to be named one of 36 Loran scholars this year, a news release said.
Out of a pool of more than 6,000 candidates, the 90 graduating high school and CEGEP students will travel from across Canada to Toronto for Loran’s National Selections. Finalists will undergo a weekend of interviews from Feb. 21 to 23 to determine the 36 Loran Award recipients.
The Loran Scholars Foundation invests in young students who show exceptional strength of character, deep commitments to service and exceptional leadership potential.
If selected as a Loran Scholar, students have the opportunity to undergo a four-year leadership enrichment program, which includes summer work experiences, an annual living stipend, one-on-one mentorship, scholar gatherings, a tuition waiver, and a long-term community of peers, alumni, and supporters from across the country. Renewable for up to four years, the award is valued at more than $100,000 over four years of undergraduate study.
The program is offered in partnership with 25 Canadian universities. McMaster, Queen’s, Toronto Metropolitan, Guelph, Ottawa, Toronto, Waterloo, Western and York are the participating universities in Ontario.
According to the news release, the charitable organization has “identified, equipped, and empowered generations of values-driven individuals through an in-depth selection process, carried out by hundreds of volunteer assessors and interviewers” since 1988.
If not selected as Loran Scholars following the interviewing process, students will each be eligible to receive a $6,000 Loran Finalist Award.
