SCHOLARSHIP RENAMED
Shooting victim memorialized by student group
A scholarship will be named after the 20-year-old university student who was recently shot to death in downtown Windsor.
The University of Windsor Students’ Alliance announced on Friday that its Rise Above scholarship will be renamed the Jason Solomon Rise Above scholarship, in honour of the third-year criminology student who became a homicide victim on Aug. 27.
The annual scholarship was originally created to recognize students from marginalized backgrounds who excelled in academics. UWSA president Jeremiah Bowers said the renaming of the scholarship is in recognition of Solomon’s “ability to overcome, excel, inspire, and empower.” “Jason’s identity as a Black student is not lost on us; in fact, it reinforced his tenacity,” Bowers
Jason’s identity as a Black student is not lost on us … it reinforced his tenacity
wrote in a statement. “He was and remains a model of student leadership and raw talent.”
The UWSA expressed condolences to Solomon’s family and friends, and noted the UWSA’s peer support centre and the university’s counselling services are available to any students affected by the murder. “We speak for the entire student community as we express our frustration and sorrow for the senseless death of Jason Solomon,” Bowers wrote. Originally from Brampton, Solomon described himself in The Lance student publication as a “Black kid from the ghetto” with plans on becoming a lawyer. He prided himself on seeking higher education and striving to excel academically, and was an active member of a Black students’ organization. On Thursday, University of Windsor interim president and vice-chancellor Douglas Kneale issued a statement expressing sorrow over Solomon’s death.
“As students return for the fall term, we will be putting supports in place to reinforce our commitment to care for one another and to cherish the lives of members of our campus community — those among us and those whom we have lost,” Kneale wrote. Windsor police have released few details about the shooting. Solomon was downtown at Ouellette Avenue and University Avenue when multiple shots were fired at him shortly before 2:40 a.m. on Aug. 27. A 19-year-old woman, Solomon’s girlfriend, was injured. Investigators have described the shooting as a “targeted incident,” and believe it has ties to the Peel Region, where Solomon was from.