A St. Michaels University School student is among 36 selected from more than 6,000 to be a 2025 Loran Scholar in recognition of exceptional leadership, commitment to service and vision to transform Indigenous education.
Grade 12 boarding student Alessandro Raniolo is a member of the Dzawadaʼenuxw (Kingcome Inlet) First Nation, who stood out for his dedication to preserving his heritage and his work to ensure Indigenous youth can access education without sacrificing cultural connection.
“This scholarship isn’t just about me, it’s about showing Indigenous students that our stories matter,” said Alessandro Raniolo, who grew up in Kingcome Inlet, a remote community of 60 people on coastal B.C. “Education shouldn’t force our youth to choose between their future and their heritage.”
Through the Loran Scholarship, Canada’s largest and most comprehensive undergraduate merit award, Raniolo receives more than $100,000 in funding, mentorship and experiential learning opportunities over four years.
Raniolo's journey began with a childhood passion for genealogy. At eight, he charted family trees across windows in his home, phoning elders to trace connections across the Dzawada̱ʼenux̱w Nation. Today, he balances academics with initiatives like repatriating sacred Dzawadaʼenuxw regalia from museums in Denver, a project he undertook in the spring of 2024 with his mother and community leaders.
At SMUS, supported by the Indigenous Peoples Within Canada Award, Raniolo has advised on the school's English First Peoples curriculum and led assemblies for Red Dress Day. His ultimate goal is to open a cultural boarding school in Kingcome Inlet.
"Too many students leave and never return," he said. "I want to build a place where learning keeps us rooted, not uprooted."
This fall, Raniolo begins his journey at the University of British Columbia towards a degree in kinesiology, followed by a degree in education. He wants to teach high school near his ancestral lands, a five-hour journey from Kingcome Inlet, while developing an athletic program and curriculum for a future boarding school.
“After a few years teaching there, I hope to open a school that brings youth back home,” he explained. The vision is to transplant the high-level athletic program to his community and create opportunities for Kwikwasut’inuxw Nation students to live and learn on their traditional territory.
“It costs too much to visit, and it’s too hard to get there. I want to make sure our youth don’t lose their connection to this place.”
