Yusra Javed Memorial Scholarship

Last fall the RSJ community lost a talented, driven and kind-hearted young journalist who was destined for a bright career. Beginning this fall, Yusra Javed’s life will be commemorated through the Yusra Javed Memorial Scholarship, created by the Queen’s Park Press Gallery. The scholarship will be awarded to a racialized RSJ student to recognize their determination and tenacity as a reporter.

“We hope the award honours and preserves [Yusra’s] memory. We want future journalists to be inspired by her and strive to her level of greatness,” said Allison Jones, former Queen’s Park Press Gallery president and RSJ alumna.

Javed’s promise as a reporter and caring personality made a great impact on the Queen’s Park Press Gallery where she was an intern in the summer of 2019.

“Yusra had the drive of someone destined for great things. She already had the tenacity and gumption of a much more seasoned journalist. She was not afraid to ask questions of anyone at any time,” said Jones.

Javed’s untimely passing sent shock waves through the press gallery and inspired the executive to take action to ensure her life was remembered and honoured.

“After Yusra‘s death, the whole press gallery was reeling. Immediately the press gallery executive started brainstorming ways to honour her memory. The scholarship was an idea that both treasurer Mike Crawley, and I suggested. It is a way to not just honour her talent, but ensure she’s not forgotten.” Jones said.

The scholarship began as a GoFundMe page where family, friends, and anyone who had been positively influenced by Javed could donate.

“In the fall of 2019, gallery members Emma Paling and Fatima Syed (RSJ alum) helped set up a GoFundMe account for donations. In a testament to Yusra's personality, the donations poured in and we quickly raised more than $18,000 which was double the initial goal,” said Colin D’Mello, current Queen’s Park Press Gallery president, who was also on the press gallery executive at the time of Javed’s passing.

With the contributions from the community and a donation from the press gallery itself, the $2,000 scholarship will be awarded annually in perpetuity in remembrance of Javed and her legacy.

“We wanted to ensure that students who share Yusra's ambition and drive to succeed would be able to benefit from the scholarship. It was particularly important for the gallery to note that the preference should be given to a student of colour,” said D’Mello.

According to Javed’s mother, Sabrina Suraiya, diversity in newsrooms was something her daughter was passionate about.

“Yusra was always adamant about people of colour making their mark in this industry because when she was growing up she did not have many people to look up to who looked like her,” said Suraiya. 

Javed’s professional legacy is matched by her personal legacy as a caring and thoughtful individual.

“Yusra had this ability to make you feel like the most important and special person in the room. Someone with a heart like that does not deserve to be forgotten. She deserves to be showcased to everyone,” said Javed’s friend Jaye Williams who met her during orientation for their first semester at RSJ.

“She will always live on. She was so kind and honest, someone like that does not come around often and it is heartbreaking. She drove us all to work harder and I think that is something only she was capable of doing,” Williams said.

Javed’s life will always be remembered by those who knew her. Through the scholarship established in her name, she will continue to inspire and drive future generations of journalists.

“I hope this award will help a journalism student of colour with the same passion and drive that Yusra had,” said Suraiya. “She represents a lot of the values and attributes that a successful journalist should have. By keeping her memory alive, future generations of journalism students can be encouraged to contribute to the industry in a positive and impactful way.”

Javed will receive a posthumous Bachelor of Journalism degree during the 2020 convocation as part of her graduating class.