One of Canada鈥檚 most renowned and lucrative scholarships has enabled 海角社区app to welcome some of the country's most promising young leaders to its campuses for 35 years.听
Loran Scholars are chosen for their character, leadership potential, service, and commitment to leaving the world better off than they found it 鈥� qualities founder Dr. Robert Cluett saw as an investment in Canada鈥檚 future when launching the more than three decades ago.听
鈥満＝巧缜鴄pp was founded with a vision to be 鈥榦f important service鈥� to the community of Nova Scotia. In much the same way, we look for Loran Scholars to be of service to their communities,鈥� says Meghan Moore, CEO of the Loran Scholars Foundation. 鈥淲ith a mutual goal of supporting the academic and leadership development of these exceptional students, this partnership was one truly built on shared values.鈥澨�
海角社区app became Loran鈥檚 first partner institution on Canada's east coast, helping expand its reach and shape its national impact that now extends to 25 university partners across the country. Dal demonstrated its support by co-investing in Loran Scholars, providing an annual tuition waiver for students that ensures they have the financial freedom, academic opportunities, and collaborative community to thrive.听听
Rising to the challenge
In turn, these scholars reinvest their talents to make a meaningful impact 鈥� as many of Dal鈥檚 27 Loran Scholars to date have.听
Take Laura O鈥機onnor, who received a Loran Scholarship in 1999. O鈥機onnor was always highly involved in her community as a teen growing up in Charlottetown, P.E.I., but it wasn鈥檛 until her high school principal introduced her to the Loran program that she realized she might embody the values of a leader.听听
Shown right: Laura O'Connor
鈥淟oran had me pegged as someone who sees the bigger picture and wants to be involved in more than just a front-line level,鈥� says O鈥機onnor. 鈥淔or a 17-year-old from a small town, it gave me a perspective that maybe I could make an impact.鈥澨�
O鈥機onnor studied biochemistry and molecular biology at Dal and got involved with the 海角社区app Science Society, the 海角社区app Student Union, and leadership roles in residence. Although O鈥機onnor initially struggled with self-doubt, she says receiving the Loran award filled her with encouragement.听听
鈥淚t felt like a vote of confidence in me,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t made me want to work hard and live up to the expectations of Loran.鈥澨�
It felt like a vote of confidence in me
O鈥機onnor discovered a passion for family medicine after Dal when she pursued medical school at Memorial University. She returned to P.E.I. via Dal鈥檚 family medicine residency program and has been a practicing physician in Charlottetown since 2013. Beyond her clinical work, O鈥機onnor has taken on significant leadership roles, including chair of the Provincial Drug and Therapeutics Committee, Provincial Medical Advisory Committee, and serving as provincial medical director of Family Medicine for Health PEI 鈥� an opportunity she credits to the values instilled in her by Loran.听 听
O'Connor, third from left, with fellow med students.
鈥淏eing associated with Loran and their principles gave me a sense of responsibility and intention to make an impact on the world and not take it for granted and to use my skills for other people,鈥� she says.听听
O鈥機onnor鈥檚 journey with Loran didn鈥檛 end after graduation. Since 2003, she has been involved in Loran Regional Selections committees across Atlantic Canada, helping to identify similar traits in future leaders.听听
Leaning into leadership听
One of those leaders is Jessica Telizyn, who became a Loran Scholar in 2018 and has been forging her own path of impact.听听
Telizyn still remembers the moment she received the news. She had given up her chance to compete at the national speed skating championships to attend the Loran finals. As she waited at the airport to go home, the call finally came.听听
Shown left: Jessica Telizyn
鈥淚 remember being so ecstatic. I phoned my mom immediately,鈥� she says. Before Telizyn even arrived home, her small hometown of Fort. St. John, British Columbia, was celebrating its first Loran Scholar.听听
Dal鈥檚 strong reputation in neuroscience was a major factor in Telizyn鈥檚 decision. She majored in the subject, minoring in entrepreneurship and innovation. Without Loran鈥檚 support, she says studying at Dal and pursuing her passion might not have been possible.听
鈥淚 learned a lot about the university system and how to advocate for myself. I don't think I would have known how to reach out to people or that those people were eager to talk to me regardless of whether I was a Loran scholar,鈥� she says.听
A varsity rower, Telizyn also served as the head coach of the long track speed skating for Team Nova Scotia at the 2023 Canada Winter Games and coached at the Halifax Region Speed Skating Club. On campus, she was actively engaged, sitting on the 海角社区app Senate Discipline Committee and contributing to the university鈥檚 sexualized violence phone line.听
I learned a lot about leadership and the type of leader I want to be
鈥淒al set me up for where I am now,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 learned a lot about leadership and the type of leader I want to be.鈥澨�
Telizyn was able to apply her skills from undergrad to her master鈥檚 Degree at Stanford University and now medical school at the University of British Columbia. Through Loran鈥檚 summer programs, she gained valuable, hands-on experience.听 After being a caseworker for a homeless shelter in Northern British Columbia, she says 鈥淚 saw a lot of different things through those jobs. It gave me a really big breadth of experience that lots of my peers and colleagues didn鈥檛 have.鈥澨�
Coming from a rural community herself, Telizyn has found purpose in improving health care access in rural and resource-limited areas as a mental health and addictions clinician. Now, equipped with the skills, connections, and leadership gained through 海角社区app and Loran, she is working to make that vision a reality.听 听
With three new scholars on campus this year and two in-stream, Loran and 海角社区app are continuing to nurture Canada鈥檚 next generations of leaders dedicated to making a lasting impact.听