JASLEEN Bahia of Vancouver’s Britannia Secondary School and Abnash Bassi of Delta’s Seaquam Secondary School have been selected as Loran Scholars – two of 35 recipients of Canada’s most comprehensive undergraduate scholarship for character, service and leadership.
Jasleen established a financial literacy program for disadvantaged youth, edits the Commonwealth newsletter, and serves on the constituency youth council. As environmental club president, she initiated Styrofoam collections. Jasleen pioneered a peer-to-peer mental health program and volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club. She is captain of the basketball team and the highest-ranking officer in Vancouver Police Department Cadets. Jasleen works as a scorekeeper. (She works at the Strathcona Community Centre, where she keeps score during sports matches.)
Abnash is co-president of her school’s environmental club, organizing workshops at local elementary schools and community campaigns. She is co-president of her school’s debate and model UN club and a Climate Action Fellow with Be the Change Earth Alliance. Abnash participates in VEX robotics, is a member of MP Carla Qualtrough’s Constituency Youth Council, and coaches basketball.
The Loran Award is valued at $100,000 over four years of undergraduate study, including a $10,000 annual stipend, tuition waivers from one of 25 Canadian universities, mentorship, summer internship funding, an orientation expedition in Algonquin Park as well as annual retreats and forums.
More than 5000 students applied this year, and the top 88 finalists travelled to Toronto for national selections this past weekend (February 1 and 2). The interviewers selected 35 Loran Scholars from across Canada based on evidence of character, commitment to service in the community and long-term leadership potential.