OUR STORY
We believe that the promise of a young person is to be found in character. To find Canada’s next generation of leaders, we must look beyond grades and rankings to find the promise of character.
At the Loran Scholars Foundation, we identify and support young people who have the integrity and courage to make difficult decisions, the perseverance to work towards long-term goals, the curiosity to better understand the world around them and the drive to make positive change in their communities.
Every year, our volunteers dedicate over 6,000 hours to selecting up to 35 Loran Scholars from over 5,000 applicants. Our scholars come from all walks of life and every corner of Canada, from Hazelton, BC to Montréal to Fogo Island, NL.
In partnership with 25 Canadian universities and our donors, we challenge our scholars to explore, develop and share their talents. Each Loran Award is valued at $100,000 over four years of undergraduate study, including mentorship and summer experiences.
By making long-term investments in the future of Loran Scholars, we’re investing in the future of Canada. See the impact our alumni are making on Canada and the world.
We are an independent charitable organization governed by a board of directors, working in partnership with universities, donors and volunteers. In 2017, the Financial Post once again named us a Top Canadian Charity based on evidence of good governance, financial transparency and clear evidence of impact.
LORAN, short for Long-Range Aid to Navigation, is a system that uses three points (for us, our values of character, service and leadership) to determine one’s course for a long journey. The name emphasizes the lifelong impact and values of being a Loran Scholar.
History
Founded in 1988, the Loran Scholars Foundation was the first national organization in Canada to grant undergraduate awards based on a mix of academic achievement, extracurricular activity and leadership potential.
Our founders responded to what they recognized as a gap in the Canadian system of merit-based financial assistance to university students. Such assistance tended to be directed to two groups － those with exceptionally high academic averages, via university scholarship programs, and those with exceptional abilities as athletes, via national teams programs. Only a small proportion of overall financial aid was directed at those who show promise of the leadership and other talents that will make their communities better places both during and after their university careers.
In the words of our founder Dr. Robert Cluett, at the heart of our work is the belief that “breadth, openness to challenge, and willingness to take risk are many times more important than any quantitative measure of promise.” It is a belief that we still hold quite strongly today.
Before 2007, Loran Awards were known as Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation National Awards. We changed the name to emphasize the long-term impact of our work and the three pillars of character, service and leadership.
Board of Directors
Our board of directors meets quarterly and has three standing committees: executive, audit and investment.
R. Jamie Anderson (Chair)
Senior Advisor, RBC Capital Markets
Nancy Young (Past Chair)
CEO & Owner, Elizabeth Bradley Design
Brandon Nussey (Treasurer)
Chief Financial Officer, Lightspeed HQ
Jonathan Burke
President & CEO, Montigo / Canadian Heating Products
Adrienne DiPaolo
Partner, Torys LLP
Claude Généreux
Executive Vice-President, Power Corporation of Canada
Catherine Graham
Co-Founder & CEO of commonsku, President of RIGHTSLEEVE
Kelsey Gunderson
Bonnie Hillman
President, Arts & Communications (A&C)
Jon Hountalas
Group Head, Commercial Banking and Wealth Management, Canada, CIBC
Beth Malcolm
Chair, Ralph M. Barford Foundation
Alex Mazer (BMO Loran Scholar ’97)
Founding Partner, Common Wealth
Ferio Pugliese
Senior Vice President, Regional Markets and Government Relations, Air Canada
Susan Scace
President, The Henry White Kinnear Foundation
Jason Shannon
President & COO, Shannex Inc.
Franco Vaccarino
President & Vice-Chancellor, University of Guelph
Doug Winslow
Vice-President, Portfolio Manager Burgundy Asset Management
Ex Officio:
Meghan Moore (W. Garfield Weston Loran Scholar ’98)
Chief Executive Officer, Loran Scholars Foundation
Vali Bennett (Secretary)
Director of Administration, Avana Capital Corporation
Cornell C.V. Wright (Special Advisor)
Partner, Torys LLP
Honorary Council
James Appleyard
Founder & President, Freycinet Investments
Alan Broadbent, C.M.
Chairman & CEO, Avana Capital Corporation
Robert Cluett
Founder, Loran Scholars Foundation
David Crombie, P.C., O.C.
Former Mayor of Toronto and CEO, Canadian Urban Institute
Kim Echlin
Author
David Friesen
Chair, Friesens Corporation
J. Douglas Grant
Founder, Sceptre Investment Counsel
Rod MacLennan, C.M.
Owner, Tribune Holdings Ltd.
John H. Phillips
CEO, Klister Credit Corp.
Wendy Rebanks
Director, The W. Garfield Weston Foundation
Susan Scace
President, The Henry White Kinnear Foundation
Past Council:
Purdy Crawford (1931-2014)
Counsel, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Grant L. Reuber, O.C. (1927-2018)
Former Chairman, Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation
Annual Reports & Publications
Annual reports and audited financial statements
- 2018: annual report & audited financial statements
- 2017: annual report & audited financial statements
- 2016: annual report & audited financial statements
- 2015: annual report & audited financial statements
- 2014: annual report & audited financial statements
- 2013: annual report & audited financial statements
- 2012: annual report & audited financial statements
Other publications
- 25th Anniversary Prospectus
- 20th Anniversary Prospectus
- Gucciardi, Franca (2004) “Recognizing Excellence? Canada’s Merit Scholarships“
Staff
Our small staff of twelve employees works with a national network of volunteers, donors and university partners to discover and support Loran Scholars.
Meghan Moore (W. Garfield Weston Loran Scholar ’98)
Chief Executive Officer
416.646.2120 x226
Meghan possesses over a decade of strategic management experience in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. Her undergraduate studies focused on music cognition and she received a bachelor of science and a bachelor of music education from the University of Toronto. She later went on to earn an MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University. Most recently she was the VP of Business Development at the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Heather Spratt
Senior Director, Programs
heather.spratt@loranscholar.ca
416.646.2120 x224
Heather co-founded Loran’s Newfoundland selection committee in 1992 and later served as a volunteer in Ottawa. She became the Director of Programs in 2008. Heather has also worked as a guidance counsellor in Ottawa and special education teacher in New York City. She has a BA and BEd from Memorial University as well as an MEd from the University of Sydney as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar.
Lily Manea
Director of Operations
lily.manea@loranscholar.ca
416.646.2120 x223
With a passion for collective impact and systems change, Lily brings to Loran almost 20 years’ experience in communications and operations in the non-profit sector. Lily previously held leadership positions at the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council and the Income Security Advocacy Centre. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from McMaster University and a post-graduate certificate in public relations from Humber College.
Carolyn Bailey
Assistant Director, Programs
carolyn.bailey@loranscholar.ca
416.646.2120 x231
Carolyn brings to Loran 10 years of experience in the educational and non-profit sectors, both in Canada and in the United States. She is passionate about issues of community development, civic engagement, food security, environmental education, and youth leadership development. She holds an HBA in history from McGill University.
Yamie Tremblay
Senior Program Officer
yamie.tremblay@loranscholar.ca
416.646.2120 x225
Yamie brings to the foundation many years of experience in community outreach. She has studied, volunteered and worked in different cities in Canada and South America. She holds a B.A. in communication from Université du Québec à Montréal and a M.A. in immigration studies from Ryerson University. Her research project focused on the academic experience of newcomer youth in Canadian high schools.
Kelsey Hogan (Temerty Loran Scholar ’13)
Program & Alumni Officer
kelsey.hogan@loranscholar.ca
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Originally from Steady Brook, NL, Kelsey earned a B.Phil in Interdisciplinary Leadership and Psychology from Renaissance College at the University of New Brunswick. She most recently worked as the Engagement Organizer with the Nature Trust of New Brunswick. As an ultramarathon runner and community energizer, she encourages others to reach beyond their perceived personal limits in order to achieve their full potential.
Ryan Jamula (Loran Scholar ’14)
Program Officer
ryan.jamula@loranscholar.ca
416.646.2120 x240
Ryan grew up in Brantford, ON, and earned a BA in Sociology at McGill University. He was a peer health educator on campus and volunteered facilitating workshops for high school students on LGBTQ+ issues. Passionate about addressing political engagement, public health, and issues of inequality, Ryan worked on a provincial election campaign before joining the team at Loran.
John Di Tecco
Manager, Development & Events
john.ditecco@loranscholar.ca
416.646.2120 x221
John earned a BA and MA from McMaster University and a BEd from York University. John brings many years of experience in event management and fundraising to Loran, having worked at three Olympic Games as well as in the foundation of a hospital. A former teacher, John is excited to return to his first passion, education.
Shauna Mueller
Executive Assistant to the CEO & Development Officer
shauna.mueller@loranscholar.ca
416.646.2120 x226
Shauna earned an Artist Diploma from the Glenn Gould School and a BMus in Vocal Performance from U of T. She brings many years of administrative experience to Loran, having worked for The Royal Conservatory and U of T. A strong believer in the power of education, Shauna is pursuing her MBA at York University’s Schulich School of Business as a part-time student.
Adam Fearnall (W. Garfield Weston Loran Scholar ’08)
Manager, Alumni Relations & Development
adam.fearnall@loranscholar.ca
416.646.2120 x228
Adam earned a BA in English and Political Science at Huron University College and a MA in Public Administration at Western University. He comes to Loran after spending six years as a consultant in the non-profit sector, focusing on governance, evaluation, and support of startup founders. Adam is a songwriter and writer who is passionate about amplifying stories that strengthen communities.
Kylie Serebrin
Manager, Marketing Communications
kylie.serebrin@loranscholar.ca
416.646.2120 x227
Kylie earned a BA in English Literature and Communication and an MA in Art History from Western University. She brings to Loran many years of experience in marketing and strategic communications across publishing, agency and start-up environments. A modern art, film and music enthusiast, Kylie is passionate about the arts as media for intercultural dialogue and global community-building.
Katii Capern
Marketing & Communications Officer
katii.capern@loranscholar.ca
416.646.2120 x233
Katii earned a BA in Creative Industries from Ryerson University, with specializations in media and journalism and a minor in business. A writer and editor with experience in community-building initiatives, she is enthusiastic about youth leadership and the connections between storytelling and social good. Katii worked in communications at Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival prior to joining Loran.