张百乔女友裸照

Two exceptional Dawson students will be in Toronto Feb. 21-23 for the final part of the selection process for the Loran Award, the country鈥檚 largest and most comprehensive four-year undergraduate award, valued at $100,000.

Ahmad Mousattat, a student in Enriched Health Science, and Leila Pozzi, a student in the Social Change and Solidarity profile of Social Science, are winners already. All finalists who are not selected are eligible to receive a one-time $6,000 Loran Finalist Award tenable at any Canadian university.聽Ahmad and Leila were chosen based on criteria that goes beyond good grades. Finalists have 鈥渁 guiding sense of purpose鈥� and 鈥渄emonstrate聽strength of character, a deep commitment to service, and exceptional leadership potential,鈥� according to the Loran Foundation.

Those selected as Loran Scholars will benefit from a four-year leadership-enrichment program, financial support for undergraduate studies in the form of a tuition waiver and living stipend, diverse opportunities for experiential learning, one-on-one mentorship from a business or community leader, scholar gatherings, and a long-term community of peers, alumni, and supporters. The 2025 Loran Scholars announcement will be in March.

The Communications Office interviewed Ahmad and Leila. Here is the Q & A.

What is your reaction to being a Loran finalist?

Ahmad: I thank God for this honour. The thought of applying to Loran came to me when I was in classe d’accueil, when I first immigrated to Canada five years ago. Looking back at that time, I would never have expected to have this great opportunity. The fact that I was chosen from almost 6,000 of Canada’s finest and most promising leaders is yet to be processed by me entirely, but I am incredibly grateful for it.

Leila: I am incredibly honoured and proud to be selected as a Loran finalist out of such a talented pool of applicants. This recognition inspires me to continue striving for excellence and contributing to my community. I am deeply grateful for the support of those who have guided me along the way and excited about the opportunity to connect with other driven and passionate individuals through this process.

Could you share some of the things you said in your application about your suitability as a candidate?

Ahmad: I tried my best to explain my work on the national and international levels, especially with what concerns my humanitarian campaigns and province-wide mobilization and community-building efforts. I tried to trace my work back to my origins, growing up during the Arab Spring, and the desire I have had since to reunite my people and revive our civilization.

Photo: Ahmad Mousattat

Leila: The Loran Award is awarded to 36 students who demonstrate strength of character, a deep commitment to service, and sparks of exceptional leadership potential. In my application, I wrote about many initiatives and clubs I’ve been a part of. Notably, I mention the co-creation of Dawson Dance (Dawson’s competitive Dance team), my position as Vice-President of Sustainability and Equity for the Dawson Student Union and my work as president of the Forum Jeunesse de l’卯le de Montreal.

How are you preparing for the national interviews in Toronto?

Ahmad: I am taking some time to reflect on my plans in the coming years and see where I can help the most with what I have at hand in the current moment. I want to get a clearer view of my vision and dream, especially since it is a long-term project, one that I might not see the fruits of in my lifetime. I want to set all my intentions straight before I meet the wonderful Loran team and my peers in Toronto.

Leila: Since the interviews and selection process are based on one’s leadership and prior engagement, there is not much to do to prepare. I have simply been taking care of myself and making sure I do not get sick.

Tell me about your studies at Dawson. What have you enjoyed about your program and profile? What have you gained at Dawson? What did you like best? How has Dawson shaped you?

Ahmad: I study in Enriched Health Science, a program that I set my eyes upon ever since I arrived in Canada. I enjoyed the deep insights it gave me on the scientific domain and the potential paths I might take in the future to reach my objectives. I felt that, counter-intuitively, the heavy workload motivated me even more to successfully lead my humanitarian initiatives, since it reminded me of the effort needed to rebuild what my people have lost. Dawson’s position as the capital of CEGEPs in Quebec allowed me to expand my work in an unprecedented way, since it connected me to professionals and students from universities and institutions all over the country. My formation and training as a leader wouldn’t have been done if it wasn’t for the environment this college gave me.

Leila: Being part of the Social Change and Solidarity profile at Dawson has been an incredible journey. The program has been more than just an academic experience; it has been a space of growth, learning, and connection. The classes have offered deep insights into the complexities of global inequalities, and the teachers have been truly inspiring, sharing their expertise and passion for social justice.

What I’ve enjoyed most about the program is the sense of community. My fellow classmates have brought diverse perspectives and shared a collective drive to make a difference, which has been both motivating and empowering. Through our discussions and collaborations, I’ve gained not only knowledge but also a broader understanding of how to engage with the world meaningfully.

Dawson has shaped me into a more informed, empathetic, and proactive individual. The tools and perspectives I’ve gained here have equipped me to navigate and address issues of inequality with confidence and purpose. What I liked best was the way the program encouraged critical thinking while fostering a sense of solidarity and hope for change. It’s been a transformative experience that I’ll carry with me into the future.

Photo: Leila Pozzi

Tell me about your life at Dawson – what clubs, projects, teams, activities are you involved in? What about outside of school?

Ahmad: I am the president of the Muslim Student Association, and the founder and leader of the Quebec Collegial Team of Islamic Relief, which is one of the largest international humanitarian organizations worldwide. While I founded the team at Dawson, I was able to expand my operations to McGill, Concordia, Universit茅 de Montr茅al, Vanier and John Abbott College in less than a year, and today our collegial team stands as one of the largest humanitarian initiatives in the province, with hundreds of thousands raised so far. I lead the Muslim community at Dawson and in Quebec by coordinating educational and humanitarian campaigns and projects and training the next generation of young leaders. Outside of college, I work as the Quebec vice-director of the Charity Week international humanitarian campaign, and next year, as one of the national leaders of this initiative. I also travel internationally to help humanitarian development projects; the most recent one was in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Leila: At Dawson, I am the Vice-President of Sustainability and Equity in the Dawson Student Union. I oversee many student led projects like the Swap, a book exchange service. Also at Dawson, I am the co-founder and executive of the Dawson Dance Team and we are currently getting ready for our competition. Additionally, I am the co-founder of the eco-expo, an environmental event to promote involvement at CEGEPs. I am also the co-founder of the Artz Showcase.聽Outside of Dawson, I am a competitive dancer at L’Acad茅mie de Danse de Montr茅al, where I also volunteer. I am also the social media coordinator for the Sustainable Youth Canada (Montr茅al branch) and I am the president of the Forum Jeunesse de l’卯le de Montreal.

What challenges have you had to overcome?

Ahmad: Seeing destruction and death in my homeland often made me feel that my work was pointless. It was very hard to preserve my morale when I was seeing what my orphans in the Islamic Homeland were witnessing, particularly in Gaza. This affected my mental and physical health in a significant way, and it made the task of balancing my work and studies even harder, especially since I needed to get excellent grades to reach my objectives. I needed to constantly remind myself to remain patient and to learn from the examples left by the great leaders from my ancestors, I learnt that this is the only way to continue advancing towards reviving our honour.

Leila: Throughout my journey, I’ve faced several challenges that have helped shape who I am today. One of the biggest has been confronting and unlearning preconceived notions about the world and my place in it. Being part of the Social Change and Solidarity profile pushed me to critically examine issues like privilege, systemic inequality, and global injustice, which wasn’t always easy but was profoundly necessary.

What is your vision for a brighter future and how do you see yourself contributing to that?

Ahmad: The brighter future will come when we comprehend history and how it will repeat itself. Everything declines upon reaching perfection, and I believe that once we remember what we have lost, and who we once were, we will be able to walk towards regaining prosperity and dignity in our lands. If it is intended for me to be part of this future, inshAllah, then I see myself leading initiatives to unite my community and plant seeds of hope within our youth. I cannot see a path towards victory but through an investment that needs to be made decades in advance, and I believe that by trusting the next generation, we will pave the way for justice to prevail.

Leila: My vision for a brighter future is one where equity, justice, and compassion are at the heart of our societies. I imagine a world where systemic inequalities are dismantled, and every individual has access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive. This future would prioritize sustainability, collaboration, and respect for diversity, ensuring that no one is left behind.

I see myself contributing to this vision by using the tools and knowledge I’ve gained to advocate for meaningful change. Whether through community engagement, education, or policy work, I want to be an active participant in addressing global inequalities and fostering social justice. I believe in the power of collective action and hope to inspire and collaborate with others who share this vision. By continuing to learn, listen, and act, I aim to play a role in creating a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable world.

What are your future plans? Which university do you plan to attend and what program?

Ahmad: I am almost done with my university applications. Though my heart has always leant most towards studying medicine, I am not against the idea of pursuing dentistry or aerospace. I plan on opening all doors, then choosing whatever God has intended for me. My end goal is to be working in the field, next to my orphans, ideally as a doctor in the humanitarian domain. I applied to McGill, UdeM, Sherbrooke and Laval so far, and I would be honoured to be accepted by any of them, but time will tell.

Leila: The future is still very uncertain for me, but I hope to possibly attend McGill or the University of British Colombia in Law or in data analytics.

Anything else you would like to say?

Ahmad: I want to extend my gratitude to Rashmini Segarajasinghe-Ernest and Max Jones for their unrelenting encouragement and support throughout the beginning of my journey towards my goals. I also cannot forget to thank the dear brothers and sisters from my team. Without them, I would never have been able to build my initiative. I finally wish to remind my dear brothers to remember their past, and to exploit their youth in helping our Ummah revive its former glory, inshAllah.

Leila: I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and to even be able to call myself a finalist. I cannot wait to see what the future holds.