John Abbott College Student Wins Prestigious Loran Scholar Award

John Abbott College is proud to announce that Gracie Diabo, a student in the Double DEC: Science & Social Science program, has been named a 2023 Loran Scholar.

This year, the Loran Scholars Foundation selected 36 exceptional high-potential youth from a pool of nearly 4,800 applicants who demonstrated their drive to step up in the face of challenges and make positive change in their communities across the country.

The feeling of becoming a Loran Scholar is indescribable and I am still processing it. This has opened so many new opportunities, and I am feeling grateful and excited for the future. It means so much to be able to represent my home community, indigenous students/youth, and all those that support me, including the John Abbott community. […] I hope to inspire more students and youth to become involved and play active roles in their communities. With this, I look forward to continuing to grow along my journey with Loran, and uplift others to do the same.
– Gracie Diabo, Loran Scholar

Gracie is the Founder and President of the Indigenous club at John Abbott College. She is also a member and former executive of SUJAC (Student Union of John Abbott College) and a former member of the John Abbott College Foundation Board of Directors. She volunteers with John Abbott’s green team and is a member of various committees promoting students’ voices. She has volunteered abroad in Peru and Costa Rica helping renovate community spaces and, during the pandemic, she volunteered at local flu vaccine clinics.

We are so excited and very proud for Gracie on this comprehensive and well-deserved award. Gracie truly embodies the John Abbott College student experience through her energy and selfless commitments at school and in extracurricular activities. On behalf of the entire John Abbott College community, congratulations Gracie!
– Dennis Waide, Director, Student Services, John Abbott College

The only award of its kind in the country, the Loran Award is a four-year leadership enrichment program consisting of summer work experiences, mentorship, scholar gatherings, an annual living stipend, and a tuition waiver at one of 25 university partners. Loran Scholars are provided with the opportunity to build critical skills and capacity for leadership, to expand horizons by taking on new challenges and exploring diverse experiences, and to join a community of purpose-driven peers who are committed to leaving the world better than they found it.


Une étudiante du Cégep John Abbott est nommée Boursière Loran

Le Cégep John Abbott est heureux d’annoncer que Gracie Diabo, étudiante du programme Double DEC : sciences et sciences humaines, a été nommée Boursière Loran 2023.

Cette année, la Fondation des Boursiers Loran a sélectionné 36 jeunes personnes exceptionnelles parmi près de 4800 candidates et candidats qui ont démontré leur volonté de relever des défis et d’apporter des changements positifs dans leurs communautés à travers le pays.

Le sentiment de devenir une Boursière Loran est indescriptible et je suis encore en train de l’assimiler. Cela m’a ouvert tant de nouvelles opportunités et je suis reconnaissante et enthousiaste pour l’avenir. Je suis très heureuse de pouvoir représenter ma communauté d’origine, les étudiantes et étudiants et les jeunes autochtones, ainsi que tous ceux et celles qui me soutiennent, y compris la communauté John Abbott. […] J’espère inspirer la population étudiante et les jeunes à s’impliquer et à jouer un rôle actif dans leur communauté. Ainsi, je me prépare à continuer à évoluer tout au long de mon parcours au sein de Loran et à encourager les autres à faire de même.
– Gracie Diabo, Boursière Loran

Gracie est la fondatrice et la présidente du club autochtone du Cégep John Abbott. Elle est également membre et ancienne membre du comité exécutif de l’association étudiante SUJAC et également ancienne membre du Conseil d’administration de la Fondation du Cégep John Abbott. Elle fait du bénévolat avec l’équipe verte (Green Team) de John Abbott et est membre de divers comités visant à faire connaître la voix des étudiants. Gracie s’est portée volontaire au Pérou et au Costa Rica pour aider à rénover des espaces communautaires et, pendant la pandémie, elle s’est portée volontaire dans des cliniques locales de vaccination.

Nous sommes très heureux et très fiers de Gracie pour ce prix bien mérité et prestigieux. Gracie représente parfaitement l’expérience étudiante au Cégep John Abbott grâce à son énergie et à son engagement dévoué à l’école et dans les activités parascolaires. Au nom de toute la communauté du Cégep John Abbott, félicitations Gracie !
– Dennis Waide, Directeur des services aux étudiants, Cégep John Abbott

Unique en son genre dans le pays, la Bourse Loran est un programme d’enrichissement du leadership d’une durée de quatre ans qui comprend des expériences de travail d’été, du mentorat, des rencontres entre boursières et boursiers, une indemnité annuelle et une exemption de frais de scolarité dans l’une des 25 universités partenaires. Les Boursières et Boursiers Loran ont l’opportunité de développer des compétences critiques et des capacités de leadership, d’élargir leurs horizons en relevant de nouveaux défis et en explorant des expériences diverses et de rejoindre une communauté de pairs motivés qui s’engagent à laisser le monde meilleur qu’elles et ils ne l’ont trouvé.

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