THUNDER BAY - A local student who has been actively involved in helping not only her fellow students, but members of the community at large, has been awarded a prestigious national scholarship that will allow her to continue to pursue her love of science, technology, and engineering at university.
Georgia Campbell, a Grade 12 student at St. Patrick’s High School, was one of 35 students from across Canada to be selected as a 2022 Loran Scholar.
“I was in shock,” Campbell said. “The tears didn’t come until a little bit after. Initially I was trying to stay composed when I was on the phone. I am in shock still. I think I will continue to be so grateful for the opportunity and proud of myself too for putting myself out there and going with it.”
The Loran Scholars Foundation was founded in 1988 and has since provided more than $57 million in awards to undergraduate students entering post-secondary education.
Being selected as a Loran Scholar was a long but rewarding process, Campbell said, which included several stages of interviews. A group of 90 finalists are selected before the final 35 are chosen, and Campbell said speaking with her fellow applicants was one of the most rewarding parts of the whole experience.
“It was so inspiring, all the things they have done, and the interviewers were so nice and eased my nerves. I was so nervous going for something so huge,” she said.
“I think each step was its own incredible experience. I was hoping to move on to each level, but each one I was meeting these incredible young people across the country. It was such a great experience.”
The Loran Scholars Foundation focuses on three pillars, including character, service, and leadership, which Campbell said was a little different from most scholarships students are applying for before finishing Grade 12.
“They do have a grade requirement when you apply, but they more focus on who you are, what you do, and why you do it,” she said. “It is based on your potential and what you can do in the future.”
Campbell’s service to her school community and others in the city of Thunder Bay showed her dedication to both education and helping others.
She served as a member of the student council throughout her high school career, founded a STEM Empowerment group in her school, and co-directed Caring Cards, a program created to make and deliver holiday cards to residents in long-term care homes during the pandemic.
Campbell has already been accepted to the University of Toronto and Queen’s University in programs relating to engineering, life science, and bio-chemistry, and she is also waiting for a reply from McMaster University.
As a Loran Scholar, Campbell will receive $100,000 over the course of a four-year program at a post-secondary institution through tuition waivers and learning stipends. She will also be participating in annual retreats and an orientation retreat to take place in Algonquin Park.
Campbell said she is grateful that receiving this recognition will allow her to go to a new school, meet new people, and grow as a person.
“I hope this shows that it doesn’t really matter, you don’t have to come from a big city, to show you are a good person and can do great things,” she said.
