Loran Scholar 2020: Lavan Balendran
Lavan Balendran, Shad2018, has been awarded with a prestigious Loran Award—a $100K investment for dedicated Grade 12 students pursuing an undergraduate degree. To date, 97 Shads have received the award. And like the rest, this year’s recipients are changemakers to keep an eye on!
Read below about Lavan’s reactions to being chosen and how Shad played a part.
Q: How did you feel when you received the news?
A: The phone call I received regarding the good news was surreal. It took me several hours to process what had just happened and the weight of it. I was contemplating all of the opportunities that opened up to me because of Loran.
Q: How significant is it for you personally to become a Loran Scholar?
A: Being a Loran Scholar means a lot to me. It has always been more than just the money, but the community and opportunities that come with it as well.
Q: What are you hoping to do after graduation? Do you have a long-term goal in mind in terms of the kind of change you’d like to make or be part of?
A: Next year, I hope to study engineering. I’m not sure what my path will look like, but what I hope to do in the future is help build stronger communities.
Q: Do you believe your time at Shad had an impact on your Loran Award?
A: Shad had a huge impact on me becoming a Loran Scholar. It was the beginning of a lot of growth in character and leadership in me. It exposed me to a range of things, the most important being the family at Shad MUN. I learned so much from those around me and took those experiences with me long after my month at Shad was over.
Q: What advice would you give an incoming Shad2020?
A: Appreciate every moment. Your month at Shad will not be like any other, so take it as an opportunity to try and learn something new. Another thing is to try to really get to know the people around you as you are surrounded by some of the most interesting individuals. Some of these relationships will last for a long time.
Read interviews with each of the other 4 Shads who were awarded the Loran Award.
We are always excited to see the progress and accomplishments of all of our Shad fellows, so if you have a story to tell, let us know.
Photo credit: Eric Choi (Edge Imaging)
