The University of Guelph says it is creating scholarships to honour the two graduate students who were killed in the Iran plane crash.
Ghanimat Azhdari and Milad Ghasemi Ariani were among 176 passengers aboard Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 that was shot down near Tehran on January 8.
Both students were returning to Guelph after visiting family in Iran.
“Both Ghanimat and Milad were enthusiastic and dedicated scholars, committed to improving life in their country, in Canada and around the world,” university president Franco Vaccarino said in a statement.
“I can think of no better way to honour their lives, their research contribution and their zest for learning and for life than creating scholarships that will give other international students an opportunity to pursue their dreams of furthering their education beyond borders.”
Fundraising initiatives will be established through the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics as well as the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences. The university will match donations for both scholarships up to a total of $100,000.
In the Lang school, the award will support an international graduate student from any country, while the other scholarship will be open to an Indigenous graduate student from within or outside of Canada.
“While both students were at U of G for a short time, they made connections and left impressions that will last a lifetime and will now be continued through these scholarships,” Vaccarino said.
The Ontario government also announced the creation of new scholarships to honour the plane crash victims.
At least 46 of the people aboard the flight were students, researchers or faculty members from 19 Canadian universities.
The provincial scholarships are expected to be in place by the 2021-2022 academic year and the University of Guelph will receive two of those awards.