McCall Scholarships: Connor Moran exemplifies being a team player
BY SCOTT STEPHENSON
Connor Moran was singled out as the 2026 Baker McCall Huron County Scholarship recipient for being an exemplary team player.
For more than a decade, Moran’s winning combination of athletic ability and community-mindedness has been making Huron County proud. Not satisfied to just be a member of F.E. Madill’s hockey, golf and fitness teams, Moran also made time to play baseball and golf in his free time. When he wasn’t otherwise occupied with one of those teams or another, Moran spent many years gaining acclaim as a minor league hockey goalie on local teams.
But Moran isn’t just an active athlete - he’s also spent time sharing his passion by working as an instructor and trainer at hockey goalie camps, and as an instructor at a community golf camp.
He was understandably ecstatic when he learned that all that effort had earned him the 2026 Baker McCall Huron County Scholarship. “All that was running through my head was how the entire time, going through the process, thinking it was a long shot, not expecting I’d win,” he recalled. “Once I heard that all my hard work paid off, it was so rewarding - I applied with no expectations, it really proved to me that the only thing holding me back is me… I almost didn’t apply, and if I let myself quit, I wouldn’t have realized what I’m capable of.”
That realization is one Moran hopes other students can take from his experience. “Don’t let the fear of rejection keep you from trying. My experience is a clear example of why you should always push yourself.”
Moran is bringing that winning mindset to the University of Western Ontario, where he will study engineering. While he’s still not sure what he wants to eventually do after graduation, Moran is sure of one thing. “I love designing and building things,” he confessed. “In school, my favourite class was manufacturing, as it gave me the tools and supplies to feed those desires.”
That hands-on interest could eventually point him toward mechanical engineering, but for now, university will give Moran the chance to explore where he wants to take his passion for fabricating. And thanks to this scholarship, he feels confident that he’ll have the freedom to figure it out in his own time. “This scholarship will undoubtedly reshape my post-secondary experience,” he pointed out. “I am so grateful for the opportunity they are giving me in my path to success.”
Moran knows not everybody is so lucky. “With most people, post-secondary gives a massive financial strain on not just you but your family too,” he noted. This scholarship takes a little bit of that weight off and lets me focus on my future - instead of picking up extra shifts at a restaurant, I could be joining a club and gaining firsthand engineering experience. Instead of spending weekends at work, I can spend them studying for a test or out with friends. That stability is essential to success in anything.”
He anticipates missing the close-knit nature of rural life while he’s away at school. “My favourite part of going to high school in Huron County was the community that we made in the four years we were together,” he told The Citizen. “Everyone knows each other, their goals, and their passions, and we built a community there to help each other succeed in our own way.”
That community spirit will be hard to replicate in London. “I would consider my most daunting personal challenge as I head off to post secondary education would be the significant changes in my lifestyle it’s going to create,” he explained. That means living in a dorm, attending university-level classes and adjusting to city living.
Despite the initial culture shock, Moran plans to take it one day at a time, and not lose perspective on what really matters to him. “University is hard, you know that going into it. Everyone struggles and it’s normal. Just make sure school isn’t the only thing you should be focusing on,” he advised. “Don’t forget what matters to you; friends, family, sports. These are the things that’ll keep you from burning out… so push yourself out of your comfort zone. Join clubs, make new friends, do new things - you never know where it will take you.”