Tuesday March 3, 2020
Sumaya Soufi, seen at Ross Shep High School in Edmonton, on Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, is one of three Edmonton-area students Loran Award finalists. Photo by Ian Kucerak/Postmedia IAN KUCERAK / POSTMEDIA
A Ross Sheppard High School student has been selected as one of 36 Loran Scholars from across Canada.
Sumaya Soufi was awarded the scholarship after successfully completing a lengthy application process that finished with six interviews in Toronto over a two-day period.
“It’s insane, I actually haven’t processed it yet,” said Soufi. “It really hasn’t sunken in yet.”
Soufi said winning the award has made the possibility of attending prestigious schools like University of British Columbia (UBC) or McGill University, the front-runners for her to attend, a possibility.
“I’m planning on visiting both UBC and McGill sometime before I make a firm decision, but I think I’m leaning more towards McGill right now,” said Soufi. “McGill is a school I really wanted to go to but I didn’t think it could actually happen because it’s so far away.”
Soufi said she hopes to enroll in the biological, biomedical and life sciences program at the Montreal-based school.
Outside of the classroom, Soufi volunteers as a scorekeeper, co-hosts a school podcast, sits on a model UN and is part of the interact club raising money for children in Belize, where she recently went on a humanitarian effort.
Christine McGowan, a school counsellor at Ross Sheppard, said in a recent interview with Postmedia that Soufi was sponsored by her school for the award because of who she is, not because of her grades.
“She’s just a stellar human being, modest and kind and she should be prime minister, like honestly, she’s just an amazing kid,” said McGowan.