The University of Ottawa today launched a new scholarship fund to honour the memory of three University of Ottawa students who lost their lives on January 8, 2020, in the tragic crash of Flight PS752.
Mehraban Badiei Ardestani, Saeed Kadkhodazadeh Kashani and Alma Oladi had chosen to study at uOttawa and were returning from Iran after visiting their families during the holidays.
“The uOttawa community came together on January 10 to mourn the loss of these bright minds, who were all set on making a difference. We grieve their loss to our community, and we miss the positive impact they surely would have had on the world around them,” said uOttawa President and Vice-Chancellor Jacques Frémont. “The creation of this scholarship is our way not only to commemorate them, but also to support students as they pursue their education.”
The new Iranian Students Memorial Scholarship will be awarded annually to Iranian students at the University of Ottawa who demonstrate financial need. The university will match all donations up to a maximum total of $100,000. The scholarship fund is established in collaboration with the Canadian Science Policy Centre (CSPC).
Mehrdad Hariri, who is CEO and president of the CSPC, said that the reaction of Canadians across the country had been overwhelming.
“This tragic event was an immense loss of talent for science: at least 85 members of the scientific community lost their lives. It is important to remember this tragedy, and those who lost their lives, and it is encouraging to see that the University of Ottawa and other universities are stepping forward with memorial funds and scholarships named for the victims to continue their legacy of contributing to Canadian science. I want to thank the University for stepping up and proposing this valuable initiative.”
This new scholarship will be managed by the uOttawa Development Office and scholarships will be available to both undergraduate and graduate students. Applications and deadlines have not yet been determined.
Find out more about Mehraban Badiei Ardestani, Saeed Kadkhodazadeh Kashani and Alma Oladi.
For more information: [email protected]