The Loran team wishes you a happy holiday season and a restful start to the New Year. May you find moments of meaningful connection with your communities near and far. We'll be back online Jan. 5, 2026.

The 2026 Loran Award application period is now closed. Thank you to the thousands of young people who took the time to apply. Those invited to submit a supplementary video will be contacted by October 29.

Only one week left! Make sure you leave more than enough time to complete your application—and ensure your referee’s section is complete too. Apply for the 2026 Loran Award by October 16, at noon ET. Apply now at loranscholar.ca.

Are you a student interested in applying for the 2026 Loran Award or an educator assisting students with their applications? Consider attending a webinar to hear Loran Scholars' experiences firsthand. Space is limited—head to loranscholar.ca/resources to reserve your spot.

Applications are open for the 2026 Loran Award! LoranScholars demonstrate strength of character, a commitment to service, and exceptional leadership potential. If that sounds like you, visit loranscholar.ca to start your application. Deadline: October 16, 2025, at noon ET

Muhaddisa Sarwari ('23) wrote a moving reflection on the power of education. Denied schooling at nine, she found hope in a makeshift school built by her community. Today, she’s a Loran Scholar at the University of British Columbia and a passionate advocate for refugee education. #WorldRefugeeDay

Earlier this year, 2SLGBTQ+ educator Mischa Oak ('98) gave a talk at TEDxSurrey, inviting audiences to see inclusion as a way to unlock human potential and create a world where everyone’s identity is valued. In celebration of Pride month, we're revisiting inspiring and motivating lessons he shared.

Mbarouk Nassor ('25) was appointed to the City of Montréal's Youth Council. During his three-year term, he'll have the opportunity to collaborate with other passionate young Montréalers, city officials, and communities to amplify youth voices and advocate for a more just and sustainable city.

McGill University Faculty of Law professor Jérémy Boulanger-Bonnelly ('11) was presented with the Jules-Deschênes Award, recognized for his dedication to community service with a focus on person-centred justice and the importance of public participation in the legal system.

David-Dan Nguyen ('16) was recently announced as a fellow at the Schwartz Reisman Institute at the University of Toronto. Pursuing a PhD at the Institute of Health Policy, this fellowship will support his work in finding innovative solutions to make healthcare more equitable.

Kira Young ('24) spoke with Canadian Geographic about climate change's impact on mental health: “I’m translating my challenging experiences with climate change and eco-anxiety, and eco-grief into action and accountability [...] That’s giving me a sense of purpose.”

Joti Gokaraju ('25) recently earned a Rideau Hall Foundation Ingenious+ Award for his braille-based communication system, TouchTalk. Created as an alternative to cost-prohibitive technologies for deafblind people, the seed money from this award will help Joti continue working to innovate and scale.

Loran alumnus and Rhodes Scholar Vincent Wong's ('21) research on the climate crisis and its global health impacts was recently published on @mcgill.ca's blog, Perspectives on Global Health. He concludes his piece by offering suggestions on how to have important conversations within our communities.

This year marks 36 years of partnership with @mcmasteruniversity.bsky.social. Since 1989, McMaster has hosted 48 Loran Scholars. We look forward to continuing this incredible partnership to nurture Canada’s next generation of youth committed to making a lasting impact.

2025 Loran Scholars are making headlines across Canada! Catch up on the news: buff.ly/iEtsK0B

Join us in welcoming the 36 newest recipients of the Loran Award! 🎉 Their qualities and accomplishments are varied, but their courage to challenge the status quo and their capacity to collaborate to drive meaningful change unite them as Loran Scholars: loranscholar.ca/2025-loran-scholars/

For over 35 years, @uwaterloo.ca has played an important role in building a vast network of values-driven leaders, hosting 39 Loran Alumni and 12 in-stream Scholars. We're deeply appreciative of Waterloo's continued dedication to enriching the lives of Loran Scholars and the communities they serve.

Congratulations to Dr. Samir Gupta ('95), honoured by the Canadian Lung Association with a King Charles III Coronation Medal. The award celebrates trailblazing researchers, clinicians, advocates, and educators making meaningful and sustained efforts to promote lung health.

Congratulations to Martin Tang ('21) for being named a #CEOx1Day finalist this month. The program nurtures future innovative leaders by matching finalists for a day of mentorship with one of Canada's top CEOs.

Calder Schweitzer ('15) was listed on Corporate Knight's 30 Under 30 List of Sustainability Leaders for 2024. As executive director of the Thousand Islands Watershed Land Trust, Calder works to protect 850+ acres of land donated by private owners.

This year marks 35 years of partnership with Dalhousie University. Since 1995, Dal has hosted 28 Loran Scholars. We look forward to continuing this incredible partnership to nurture Canada’s next generation of youth committed to making a lasting impact.

Cadena Brazeau ('23) has taken on a new role as the Indigenous Resources Project Student Assistant at the @ucalgary.bsky.social's Student Success Centre. Congratulations, Cadena! We look forward to watching you grow in this role.

As VP SymPOWEsium of POWE McGill, Gracie Diabo ('23) played a key role in pulling off the organization's first-ever SymPOWEsium. Congratulations to Gracie and the entire team for hosting a successful conference that uplifted women in engineering and celebrated strength in diversity.

François Tanguay-Renaud (1998) apporte des perspectives mondiales au droit canadien dans son nouveau rôle de directeur du programme de maîtrise en droit professionnel d'Osgoode en common law canadienne. Lisez sa conversation avec l’Université York.

François Tanguay-Renaud ('98) brings global perspectives to Canadian law in his newest role as program director of Osgoode’s Professional LLM in Canadian Common Law. For @YorkU, he reflected on his career and encouraged students to seek insight from peers. https://buff.ly/3QG7t6Z

This past weekend, 90 Loran Finalists flew to Tkaronto (Toronto) for our 2025 National Selections. Thanks to the generosity of Aeroplan, AirCanada, and individual donors, Loran Finalists flew a collective 146,046 km to interview for the chance to become a 2025 Loran Scholar.

So proud of the amazing work of @loranscholar.ca Mariana Cueto Mendoza on this report!

Nain Abdi ('22) is a third-year Electrical Engineering student driven to make a difference as the president of @uwaterloo.ca’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. We connected with him to talk about building resources to empower Black students. https://buff.ly/4i64WyG

Nain Abdi ('22) is a third-year Electrical Engineering student driven to make a difference as the president of @uwaterloo.ca’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. We connected with him to talk about building resources to empower Black students.

Congratulations to Dr. Vanessa Redditt ('03) on being selected for the 2025 Maytree Policy School Cohort! The six-month program is designed for non-profit policy leaders who wish to enhance their engagement and effectiveness in the policy process. maytree.com/strengthenin...

Mishka Caldwell-Pichette (2024) s'est classée troisième aux Jeux de Science Politique du en tant que déléguée de l'@umontreal.ca! Nous saluons sa volonté de sortir de sa zone de confort, de développer de nouvelles compétences et d'explorer les domaines d'intérêt. www.linkedin.com/posts/mishka...

Anthony Létourneau ('21) has been announced as a finalist for the McCall MacBain Scholarship! As a mechanical engineering student at the University of Ottawa, his research focuses on manufacturing alternative sources of fuel. mccallmacbainscholars.org/2025-finalis...

Thank you to @ualberta.bsky.social for hosting a Loran Scholar roundtable chat with President Flanagan. We're grateful for the chance to reconnect with our scholar and alumni community in amiskwaciy-wâskahikan (Edmonton) and left feeling reenergized ahead of this year's National Selections.

Courtney Ch'ng Lancaster ('04) will be directing the production 'Hypothetical Baby' opening in Toronto later this month. The one-woman show grapples with reproductive rights and the intricate relationship between choice, change, and loss. www.stage-door.com/3/news/2025-...

2024 Loran Scholar and SkillsCanada gold medalist Lubna Ismail was recently featured on an episode of SkillsAlberta's podcast Skills & Thrillz, providing advice and insight on the art of speaking. www.buzzsprout.com/2396769/epis...

2025 Loran Finalists are making headlines across Canada! Check out a selection of recent media features: https://loranscholar.ca/2025-loran-scholars-in-the-news/ #Loran2025

Greetings from the West! With a community spanning the country and the globe, we're grateful we had the opportunity to reconnect in person at two of our five western partner universities. Thank you to @UCalgary and @UBC for graciously hosting Loran Scholars and alumni.

We're grateful for the enthusiastic participation in our Fly a Finalist Aeroplan campaign this year. It is thanks to the support of a global network of donors whose generosity gives values-driven youth from across Canada the opportunity to connect and become a Loran Scholar.

Congratulations to David-Dan Nguyen ('16) on being named a 2025 JAMA Editorial Fellow! The program connects health service researchers with @jama.com's editorial team to teach them about editorial decision-making and enhance scientific communication skills. media.jamanetwork.com/announcement...

Leon Picha ('19) of the Kwantlen Nation sat down for a #ConnectedNorth Fireside Chat with TakingITGlobal. He reflected on how Loran pushed him to broaden his horizons and the importance of using his skills to benefit Indigenous people in his community and beyond. www.linkedin.com/posts/taking...

Congratulations to Steven Yang ('23) and Louise Folglia ('21) for being named 2025 Cansbridge Fellows! They join previous Cansbridge Fellowship recipients Mikie Allan ('13), Milton Calderon Donefer ('15), and Allison Gacad ('16). www.linkedin.com/posts/cansbr...

Alex Gillis ('16) designed Helpful Claims, a free tool helping people navigate the overwhelming process of documenting personal belongings for insurance claims. He has now repurposed it to support those impacted by the wildfires in California.

When you donate your Aeroplan points, you’re gifting 90 exceptional young people like Hannah the transformative experience. Ready to make a difference? Donate your Aeroplan points, and give Canada’s emerging leaders the chance to soar: https://buff.ly/42igwSP

It was wonderful catching up with Loran scholars, alumni, volunteers, and supporters from the Kitchener-Waterloo region last night. Thank you to President Vivek Goel and founding partner, the University of Waterloo, for hosting our community.

Congratulations to Aamna Mushtaq ('24) for receiving Darpan Magazine's Young Wonder Award celebrating outstanding achievement in British Columbia's South Asian community. www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOWW...

On January 18, Mischa Oak ('99) will present at TEDxSurrey, Western Canada's foremost TEDx event. In alignment with the theme of A Shift in Thinking, Mischa will explore how the queer community offers invaluable life lessons that can enrich humanity. www.linkedin.com/posts/mischa...

We're starting the year on a high note, unveiling the 90 students selected as 2025 Loran Finalists! They have been invited to National Selections in Toronto next month, where we look forward to getting to know them better. List of finalists: loranscholar.ca/2025-loran-f...

National Selections weekend is right around the corner, and you can still double your impact! Our partner at Aeroplan will match points up to 500,000 donated before Jan. 30. Give Canada’s emerging leaders the chance to soar: buff.ly/3ZsG24P