When Lan Tran saw the scholarship opportunity, she could not believe it.

The Equinor, (formerly Statoil), Arts Scholarship at EducationMatters, would be given to a graduating high school student who demonstrated passion for artistic achievement with a goal of becoming a professional artist.  Lan had spent hours, volunteering and demonstrating a commitment to leading change.

When she was told she had been selected to receive the $2,500 award, she was “super excited to feel the recognition for my marks, volunteering and my passion for dance.”

Since she was three years old, Lan has been dancing. It was not until she went to a performing and visual arts high school that she really fell in love with it. She says the experience of learning and performing in a professional environment helped her solidify her passion. She tried other pursuits as well, but found herself returning to dance, where she always feels at her best.

Currently, Lan is enrolled at the University of Calgary and is studying a combined degree of Bachelor of Kinesiology and Arts, in Dance. She has tailored her experience to develop both the performance side and her understanding of the science behind movement, with an emphasis on preventing performance injury. When she graduates, she would love to work in a dance company.

When Lan dances, she says she feels exposed, and yet when she performs, she believes no one knows her background, they just see the performance in front of them. It used to be that she would put on a show to entertain, but now she performs so the audience can make up their own minds about her artistry.

The Equinor Arts Scholarship at EducationMatters is a new award in 2018, and was established as part of Equinor’s ongoing commitment to arts and culture development.  The intent is to enhance artistic activities linked to educational outcomes, and to encourage students to develop their intellectual skills though active participation in the arts.

At Equinor, we believe in supporting our Heroes of Tomorrow as they pursue their passions in the arts,” says Unni Fjaer, Vice President for Equinor Canada “There is so much talent for us to support, and those dedicated to utilizing and developing that talent deserve to be supported. We are proud to support Lan and wish her great success and enjoyment in her time at the University of Calgary.

Lan is thankful for Equinor choosing to support the arts, “because choosing to go into the arts is scary. To be a professional artist you have to work very hard not knowing what success may be ahead.” Yet she is sure, “The arts will always be there, and arts are a good investment in the future.”