Shaowen Zhang

Memorial ceremony draws mourners for engineering student

More than 200 mourners—students, faculty, staff and members of Windsor’s Chinese community—gathered Friday for a memorial ceremony in honour of Shaowen Zhang, the engineering student who died August 21.

“We want to commemorate him,” said Penchong Mao, a fellow engineering student who befriended Zhang during their time in the English Language Improvement Program. “We hope he can stay in peace. We want to be his family.”

It was a theme echoed by international student advisor Enrique Chacon, who said he was amazed by the turnout.

Campus community mourns death of engineering student

Shaowen Zhang, a second-year student of electrical and computer engineering who died August 21 at the age of 25, will be missed by his friends and colleagues at the University of Windsor, said Clayton Smith, vice-provost, students and international.

“This terrible tragedy has ended a life filled with promise,” said Dr. Smith. “The tragedy is compounded by the fact that his family is so far away.”

Zhang’s family is in his home of Beijing, China.

“The entire campus community joins with Shaowen’s family in mourning this loss,” Smith said.