‘I honestly couldn’t believe it’: Windsor student lands prestigious nationwide award

A Windsor teen has beat more than 6,000 applicants for a big scholarship.

A Windsor student was surprised to learn she landed a prestigious nationwide award.

Asma Razi from Windsor Islamic High School is one of 36 Loran Scholars out of 6,000 applicants across Canada.

“I’m the third person from Windsor to ever get it,” Razi said. “It’s been a very long process for me over these last few years.”

The Loran Scholars Foundation celebrates the best Canadian students who demonstrate “strength of character, a deep commitment to service, and exceptional leadership potential”, according to a Loran Foundation news release.

Razi has been a life-long participant in Girl Guides of Canada; she even now sits on national and provincial boards for the organization.

The 17-year-old has also organized events in her high school and her broader community, plus she has taken two co-op placements in the hospital and a pharmacy.

“I didn’t care if it took me a long time or if it took me a lot of energy to do something, I just try to do as much as possible,” she said.

The honour comes with a $100,000 award to be used over four years at one of 25 Canadian universities, to further her education goals.

Razi has already been accepted to Western University and she is waiting to find out if McMaster University has accepted her application to enter medical sciences.

Not only does Razi want to be a doctor, she wants to come back to Windsor to practice as a ‘thank you’.

“Throughout my high school career, my dad had fourth stage pancreatic cancer. So for me, I saw that impact that this community gave for me at the hospital so I want to give back,” Razi said.

In February the list of 6,000 applicants was whittled down to 90 who all travelled to Toronto for interviews.

Of them, just 36 students were awarded with this year’s award.

“I honestly couldn’t believe it,” Razi said when she found out a few weeks ago.