When Thompson Rivers University (TRU) student Yasaman Attari arrived in Canada from Iran, she couldn’t wait to embrace her new independence and begin her studies. Her plan — achieve her Bachelor of Business Administration with distinction and work her way up the corporate ladder.

From the start, it wasn’t an easy journey, but Attari was determined.

“With the ongoing economic challenges in my home country and the instability of our currency, supporting my education abroad has not been easy for my family. Every expense carries significant weight,” she said.

While maintaining high grades, Attari works multiple jobs on and off campus. Well adept at managing her busy schedule, Attari’s biggest worry was choosing her major as she entered her third year in fall 2025. Once she settled on human resources, following in her father’s footsteps, she felt a wave of relief, but soon after, things began to unravel. Since then, worry has been her constant companion.

At the beginning of the winter semester, a dental infection escalated into a medical emergency, resulting in multiple nights in the hospital and a costly root canal. Her dental insurance was quickly depleted, leaving her with a $1,500 bill.

“I felt completely alone,” she said. “If I were back home, my mom would take care of me. My dad would take me to the hospital. Here, I had to assess everything myself — how serious it was, whether I should go back to class, how I would get to the hospital.”

Exhausted, in pain, and financially strained, she began to question whether she could continue at the same pace she had set for herself.

Timely award makes meaningful difference

Then an email arrived. In recognition of her academic excellence and leadership potential, she had been selected as the recipient of the RBC Student Scholar to Business Award. The timing could not have been more meaningful.

“It felt like hope arrived right when I had almost lost it,” she said. “It reminded me why I work so hard and why I must keep going.”

When she checked her account and saw the $5,000 award, she was stunned. Her family, too, was overwhelmed with pride.

In addition to financial relief, the award provided something else she desperately needed — reassurance.

“It strengthened my determination to maintain high grades and continue striving for excellence.”

While Attari continued to forge ahead in Canada, circumstances in Iran grew increasingly distressing. Her family lives in a major city with nearby military infrastructure, and the ongoing conflict made daily life unpredictable and frightening. Communication was unreliable, with internet shutdowns making it impossible for her to call home.

“All I can do is hope for my family to be safe, but it’s very stressful to act normal, have a normal life, study, and work, but deep inside, I’m worried all the time,” she said.

For now, Attari’s immediate goal is simple — to keep going — and hope that one day soon she will be reunited with her family. She also hopes to one day return to Iran and use her education to help rebuild her country.

“I have this huge love for Iran, and I really want to use the knowledge and experience I gain over here to serve my own country and my own people.”

With determination, and thanks to the timely support of a generous donor, she continues to move forward during one of the most challenging periods of her life.