Azrieli Loran Scholars: Investing in young francophone leaders

Since 2015, the Azrieli Foundation has helped the Loran Scholars Foundation offer higher education opportunities to exceptional students from Quebec. Our funding supports individual undergraduate scholarships as well as Loran’s Quebec outreach strategy.

Loran Awards are given to students across Canada who demonstrate strength of character, a commitment to service and leadership potential. Each award includes a tuition waiver and living stipends renewable for four academic years, three summer work placements, a personalized mentorship program and a robust four-year leadership enrichment program (including peer-to-peer learning opportunities). Loran invests in students with the long-term vision of cultivating a network of values-driven Canadian leaders.

In addition to funding individual awards, the Foundation’s support has helped Loran develop an outreach strategy to encourage francophone students to apply. Loran created French-language communications materials and built relationships with organizations in Quebec to reach students in CEGEPs (Quebec’s post-secondary college system) and beyond, including those from underrepresented groups.

“We need young people from every region across the country to encompass a broad perspective,” says Meghan Moore, CEO of Loran.

In 2020, Awa Hanane Diagne of Montreal was selected as a Loran Scholar, with her award supported by the Azrieli Foundation. “Coming into my undergraduate studies, I was convinced that I wanted to study neuroscience,” she says. But as the program encouraged her to take meaningful risks, she pursued her interest in the humanities, including sociocultural and medical anthropology, science and technology and equity studies.

“Looking back, I cannot imagine having taken a different route,” says Awa, who graduated from the University of Toronto in 2023.

Awa is currently putting her knowledge and passion for medical anthropology to use as a summer intern at Canadian Blood Services, the last component of her time as an Azrieli Loran Scholar. In the fall, she will begin a master’s program at the University of Toronto.

“My time as a Loran Scholar is filled with positive memories,” says Awa. “I cannot wait to experience this next stage of my life and share it with those who have supported me throughout the past years, including the close connections I have made through the Loran program.”

With its comprehensive approach and support from the Azrieli Foundation, the Loran Scholars Foundation enables students to develop the skills they need to serve their communities and better our collective future.