The parents of Savitha Shan, a student who was killed during the Sixth Street shooting in March, shared on April 10 that they created an endowment scholarship in her honor.
Shan Muthian and Selvi Shan made the Savitha Shan Endowed Scholarship to honor their daughter’s legacy and support students whose families make less than $125,000, according to the University. The endowment aims to raise $500,000, and UT donors will match donated funds. The University expects funds to be awarded beginning in 2027.
“Savitha believed education was (a) powerful way to change the world,” Muthian, Savitha’s father, said at a University press conference. “We are turning grief into opportunity for others. … (The) students who will benefit today will go on to uplift students tomorrow.”
Muthian said the most important thing to him is ensuring Savitha is well remembered. She was set to graduate in May with degrees in management information systems and economics.
“As parents now, we have got two choices,” Muthian said. “So option one is, stay on grief mode … The other option is, Savitha lived her life to the fullest, so how do we turn her grief into an opportunity for others? Because she always believed she wanted to help others. … We would like to carry her legacy and choose option two.”
Savitha’s mother, Selvi Shan, said during the press conference that in the past month, she has been told countless stories by friends and family about her daughter.
“She was always a jack of all trades,” Selvi Shan said. “Though education was her first priority, she loved making friends, and there was a big group that came to the memorial service.”
Riddhi Goel, a finance senior, was one of those friends. She said the pair lived together their first two years at UT and planned to move in together again in San Francisco after graduation. It is difficult to think about those plans, Goel said.
“I’m just sad for her,” Goel said. “These are all things that she should be getting to do, and I’m sad for myself (because) these are things that I wanted to be doing with her.”
Goel said she has spent much of the past month reflecting on the good memories she and Savitha shared.
“The Friday before (the shooting), we had done a kickboxing class,” Goel said. “I remember just having to avoid looking at her, because I knew if we made eye contact, I would 100% burst out laughing. … (She was) happy, full of life, joyful to be around.”
One of Savitha’s biggest goals was to travel to 21 countries by the age of 21, Selvi Shan said.
“She did it, she did 26 countries,” Selvi Shan said. “All her wishes were fulfilled. … She took care of everything, even her degree; UT-Austin decided to award her a degree.”
Harini Ram, who graduated from the University in 2024 and knew Savitha from the Indian Students Association, said Savitha always lived intentionally.
“She somehow juggled two majors, a certificate, she was a part of three orgs on campus with leadership positions, and still managed to ask you if you wanted to get drinks at Raku that night,” Ram said. “She truly was the heart of the Indian community at UT.”
Mansi Patel, a business sophomore who also knew Savitha through the Indian Students Association, said the endowment fund will keep her memory alive.
“She embodied the fact that anyone can make a big impact, and I’ve learned so much from her,” Patel said. “The endowment is really special, and it can bring so much to so many people.”
Muthian said donors to the scholarship will play a part of Savitha’s belief in giving back.
“This endowed scholarship is paying it forward for Savitha,” Muthian said. “Donors may not receive tangible benefits, but they can become part of the paying-it-forward chain.”
Community members can donate to the scholarship here.
