In this edition of Richmond Stories, Richmond Sentinel host Jim Gordon (JG) sat down with H.J. Cambie High School student Nayis Majumder (NM), a Loran Award finalist from the Class of 2024 to discuss the steps he took to apply for the award. 

(JG): Out of a pool of more than 5,200 applicants, the 90 graduating high school and CEGEP selected as the Loran Award finalists from the Class of 2024, these students have demonstrated their drive to step up in the face of challenges and have a positive impact on their communities across this country. 

The Loran Award is a four-year leadership enrichment program, offering a tuition waiver at one of the 25 university partners. The 90 students travelled to Toronto between Feb. 23 to 25 for the Loran National Selection Interviews, where 36 Loran Awards, valued at over $100,000 each, will be granted. If not selected as a Loran scholar, students will be eligible to receive a $6,000 Loran Finalist Award. Today’s guest is Nayis Majumder, I mentioned at the beginning about the Loran Awards, could you please tell our viewers exactly what that is? 

Nayis Majumder (NM): The Loran Awards is a leadership and integrity award given out by a collection of universities across Canada from schools like the University of British Columbia (UBC), Simon Fraser University (SFU), and even schools in the east such as Dalhousie University. It’s a foundation that was funded to promote leadership rather than solely academic success. 

JG: Looking at your credentials, you’ve worked at the SD38, which I should say is Richmond School District 38, serving on the Ministry of Education’s anti-racism working group, and created and facilitated in Allyship Workshops for the City of Richmond’s Pride Week celebrations. Have you always had this interest in wanting to give back to the community? 

NM: From a very young age I’ve had a passion for social justice, it may be in part due to my cultural upbringing. My parents are Bangladeshi, and I’m Bangladeshi as well, during that time there was a war in which they had to fight for their sense of identity and belonging. I believe those values were instilled in me, and I want to stand up for everyone to be able to freely express themselves and their identities.

JG: You served as student council president and served on the student council for four years. How are you able to balance school and all the other activities that you take part in? 

NM: It doesn’t feel that busy because I love doing those activities. Sometimes I look forward to them because that’s what recharges me and keeps motivating me to be at school and be happy. 

JG: When did you begin the application process to be a Loran Scholar?

NM: I began the process around late October or early November 2023, as the application is annually due around mid-November. 

JG: What prompted you to apply for this award?

NM: My teachers, as well as some of my friends, believed that I would be a great fit for the award and after looking into it, I thought I’d give it a shot because my mindset was ‘if I don’t give it a shot, what are the chances I don’t get it’? zero (so I applied). 

JG: Can you tell our viewers about what is involved in the application process?

NM: The application includes a personal profile similar to the UBC personal profile; there are five essays and multiple activity logs included in the process. If you are interested in finding out more, it’s all written out on the Loran Awards webpage. Once you have completed the application, there is a supplementary video where you have to complete a recording of yourself answering a couple of different questions. After all applicant’s videos are reviewed, 250 semi-finalists are selected and split into groups of 10-15 people for the semi-finalist interview. That was a fun process because I was able to meet many great leaders across Canada. After the semi-finalist interview, is the finalist interview. 

JG: When did you find out you were a finalist for the award?

NM: I had found out that I was a finalist for the award, one week after completing the semi-finalist interview, as I was in one of the last groups. I had heard that some individuals in the earlier interviews had to wait almost six weeks to find out if they were selected as a finalist. 

JG: What advice would you give to parents out there with children your age who want to apply?

NM: I would tell them that there is no right path to apply. The Loran Foundation values people’s passions more so than a correct way to go about things. If you are passionate about sports, I believe you should put time and effort into developing those skills. If you’re passionate about social justice like I am, it’s essential that you pursue those passions. 

JG: You graduated this summer, what are your future plans? What do you want to do? 

NM: I want to study social justice at UBC because I want to become a human rights lawyer or a DEI consultant. My experience working at the Ministry of Education’s Anti-Racism Working Group has taught me about careers in social justice. I’ve always been passionate about social justice, especially after the Black Lives Matter movement, and since then I’ve always wanted to be able to utilize my voice to create change in our society. 

JG: Recently I was at the dinner with colleagues talking about how teachers can make a big difference and I remembered one or two of my teachers who encouraged me to follow my passion and guided me in taking the right path. Do you have that experience in your high school career?

NM: For me, I work at the community centre and there is a saying that goes “every child needs one person that believes in them 100 per cent, so that they can develop into the best of their potential”. For me, that person was my French teacher, Mugi Masaki, who is also the sponsor of my social justice club at school. 

For the full video interview, visit richmondsentinel.ca/videos.