University of Guelph-Humber

Dr. Masood Zangeneh

Being a university student can be tough to manage. Along with juggling classes and assignments, there are family responsibilities, field placements, co-curricular activities and part-time jobs too. Keeping up with those commitments can be a challenge, but two professors at the University of Guelph-Humber are trying to make it a little easier. Masood Zangeneh, a professor of Psychology, and John Irwin, a professor of Justice Studies, have each created a financial award to help support UofGH students.

While both have tailored their awards to support causes that are close to their hearts, they’re following the example set by fellow UofGH professor, Nadia Ghanny, who created the university’s first faculty-supported bursary in 2015.

“When I heard about Prof. Ghanny’s bursary, I thought it was such a great idea,” says Prof. Irwin. “We have students who come here and work so hard for four years, and helping fund that just felt right. It’s putting your money where your mouth is.”

Dr. Zangeneh, who has created a scholarship, has a particular goal in mind for his award. For years now, he has been collaborating with colleagues around the world to research resilience in young people and how it can affect their future success. With that work in mind, he’s partnered with his research collaborator to create the Zangeneh-Isralowitz Youth/Emerging Adult Resilience Scholarship, which will annually award $1000 to a psychology student interested in researching youth resilience. He hopes that the scholarship will incentivize students to get interested in the field.

Prof. John Irwin

“This is an emerging area of study, so we should proactively prepare and train students to investigate it,” Dr. Zangeneh says. “We want to raise awareness around the topic and encourage undergraduates to get involved in the research process. If students start to think about conducting research, securing funding, collaborating with other thinkers and publishing their work, we can prepare the next generation of scholars.”

Professor Irwin, who has created a bursary, was inspired by and named in honour of his parents. The Traveled on a Path Inspired by the Guidance of Barbara and Mike Irwin Bursary will award $1000 to a student with financial need, with preference given to a student-parent. After Prof. Irwin’s father, who was a detective with the Toronto Police Service, died in the line of duty, he says his mother struggled to support her children and their academic ambitions. Prof. Irwin wants his bursary to make education more attainable for someone working hard to care and provide for their family.

“My mum worked hard for us, but I didn’t go to university after high school because we couldn’t afford it,” he says. “Instead, I went to school little by little over the years, so being able to support a single parent as they work to get their degree seemed like a good idea. I look at how my parents both got me to think about the importance of learning, and the way I see it, it’s just my turn to help out.”

With both Dr. Zangeneh and Prof. Irwin helping out, education for UofGH students just got a little easier to manage.

Learn more about scholarships and bursaries at the University of Guelph-Humber.

Learn more about how to volunteer or donate to the University of Guelph-Humber.