Alessandro Raniolo ‘25, a member of the Dzawada̱ʼenux̱w First Nation, and a boarding student at SMUS, has been named one of Canada’s 36 Loran Scholars for 2025. Selected from more than 6,000 applicants nationwide, Alessandro’s award is valued at more than $100,000 and recognizes his extraordinary leadership, commitment to cultural preservation and vision to reshape Indigenous education. The Loran Scholars program offers Canada’s largest and most comprehensive undergraduate merit award and funds 36 students in their pursuit of university studies. The program will connect Alessandro to a lifelong network of mentors and peers dedicated to driving societal change.
Alessandro’s journey to this moment began in Kingcome Inlet, a remote community of 60 on British Columbia’s coast. It accelerated at SMUS, where he has championed Indigenous representation while advocating for youth who, like him, must leave home to access secondary education.
Rigor, purpose and legacy
The Loran Scholarship is unique in its focus on character over marks, seeking students who embody courage, compassion and a capacity to uplift communities. Finalists undergo a months-long selection process, including essays, video submissions, regional interviews and a national final weekend in Toronto. Alessandro stood out not only for his academic drive but for his profound connection to his heritage, a thread woven through every aspect of his life.
“When I got the call, I kept asking, ‘Are you serious?’” Alessandro recalled. “But this win isn't just about me. It’s about showing Indigenous youth that our stories matter and that we can redefine what education looks like for our communities.”
Alessandro’s work as a cultural ambassador began young. At eight, he sprawled genealogical charts across his family’s windows, phoning elders to trace connections across the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation. Today, he balances SMUS academics with initiatives like repatriating sacred Dzawada̱ʼenux̱w regalia from museums in Denver and Colorado. He undertook the project alongside his mother and community leaders this past spring.
Attending SMUS for Grade 11 and 12 was made possible through the Indigenous Peoples Within Canada Award. From there, Alessandro's work spearheading SMUS’s Red Dress Day assemblies to advising on the new English First Peoples curriculum further amplified Indigenous voices while helping him prepare for his ultimate goal: opening a cultural boarding school in Kingcome Inlet.
“Too many of our youth leave for education and never return,” he said. “I want to build a place where learning keeps us rooted, not uprooted.”
At SMUS, Alessandro has leveraged every opportunity to grow as a leader. The school’s outdoor education program will soon certify him in wilderness first aid, a skill he will use to mentor future students.
“SMUS gave me the tools to advocate for my community,” he said. “Whether it’s collaborating with driven peers or presenting to 600 people at assembly, I’ve learned how to turn passion into action.”
The road ahead
This fall, Alessandro will begin his journey at the University of British Columbia towards a degree in kinesiology followed by a degree in education. His goal? To teach at a 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 twofold: transplant the high-level athletic program to his community and create opportunities for Dzawada̱ʼenux̱w 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,” he stated.
The Loran Scholarship’s financial support and experiential learning opportunities, including a leadership trip abroad, will accelerate his mission.
“This award isn’t an endpoint,” he said. “It’s a launchpad to bring our youth home.”
