A Howe Sound Secondary student is heading to Toronto in February for the national round of interviews for a prestigious post-secondary scholarship.
Callista Ryan, a Grade 12 student, qualified after getting through a regional round in Vancouver last month.
She applied for the scholarship from the Loran Foundation in October. The foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1988 that awards scholarships to students entering university.
For Ryan, the regional round took place in Vancouver on Nov. 28, when she was one of about 30 students interviewed. Across the country, 340 people reached the regional level, and 80 have moved on to nationals.
For the regionals, she had four different interviews through the day, including a lunch interview with other candidates and a judge.
“They’re looking for the stories behind the applications,” she said.
The Loran Foundation reported that this year it received 4,273 applications, the largest number in its history.
For nationals, the interview format will be the same, but the students will face different questions.
The application process was a demanding process, as Ryan had to submit four essays as well as a complete five “tasks,” in which she had to elaborate on who she is, beyond academics, especially when it comes to her other activities – in Ryan’s case, her six years in cadets.
“They’re looking for kids in sports, music, academics and the community,” she said.
The Loran website states that candidates are chosen for their character, service and leadership potential: “They deeply value integrity and honesty, are curious by nature and are interested in a wide range of subjects. Furthermore, they are willing to take meaningful risks and prioritize results over appearances.”
Other priorities are a wish to travel and a desire to study in a different province, specifically at one of the 25 top partner universities in Canada. Ryan plans to attend the University of Western Ontario to study international relations. At Howe Sound Secondary, she has been focusing on classes such as history, law, social justices and geography.
The Loran application process has also been beneficial in terms of meeting other students with similar interests, although she knew some already through events such as Model UN or speaking competitions.
While advancing this far was no guarantee, she did her homework and was not surprised when she was able to move ahead to nationals.
“I was hoping to…. I looked at the winners from last year and I definitely resemble some of the people who made it.”
From the nationals, 30 of the 80 will be awarded the scholarship of up to $100,000 for their undergraduate degrees, although in Ryan’s eyes, it is already a winning proposition, as she gets to travel to Toronto and make contacts. Also, even the candidates not chosen will receive $3,000. The date for the nationals has not yet been determined.
