Fund Honors McCombs, Liberal Arts Senior Lost in Mass Shooting

Family and University establish endowed scholarship to mark legacy of Savitha Shan

In tribute to the life and aspirations of Savitha Shanmugasundaram, a University of Texas at Austin honors student who died tragically in the March 1 mass shooting, her parents have established the Savitha Shan Endowed Scholarship at UT Austin. The fund is intended to extend Savitha’s legacy by supporting the educational journeys of future Longhorns.

Shan Muthian and Selvi Shan hope to raise $500,000 toward a Texas Challenge scholarship. With the University’s commitment to a dollar-for-dollar match, the endowment would double to $1 million, providing financial support to incoming UT students and ensuring that Savitha’s legacy will, in the words of her parents, “live on through opportunity, hope, and education for future generations.”

Savitha, 21, was prepared to graduate in May with a double major in management information systems from the McCombs School of Business and economics from the College of Liberal Arts. The University will award Savitha’s degrees posthumously.

The fund will provide ongoing support to underprivileged students, empowering them to pursue their education and achieve their dreams. Through a commitment from UT as part of the Texas Challenge scholarship gift match program, the total scholarship will be matched dollar for dollar if the minimum $125,000 is raised.

An Austin native, Savitha was a graduate of the Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA) high school. Her passion for promoting education and helping underprivileged students achieve their dreams resulted in her being awarded the Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship for four years at UT, which her mother, Selvi, proudly says Savitha discovered and applied for on her own. Upon graduation, she would have begun her career with a position at Visa.

“Savitha believed education was the most powerful force for changing lives,” her family wrote in a website dedicated to the fund, describing her as “a remarkable young woman whose life embodied leadership, ambition, and an unwavering commitment to community.”

“This scholarship is more than a tribute. It is a living legacy. Through it, Savitha’s spirit will continue to inspire and uplift future generations,” they wrote in a statement.

Russ Finney, a lecturer in McCombs’ Department of Information, Risk, and Operations Management, posted on social media, calling her a “light in the classroom” and “one of our superstar students.”

“Through this endowment, her light continues — quietly shaping futures she would have believed in,” her parents wrote.

Savitha was an inspiring force for the Indian Students Association, where fellow students say she cultivated a strong sense of belonging, cultural pride, and meaningful connection. She served as president of the group during her junior and senior years, following her term as vice president of finance.

Her commitment to service also included the Raas Rodeo, an annual intercollegiate competition to showcase Indian dance teams and raise money for charity, and the Indian Cultural Association. Before college, she served as area vice president for Texas in Future Business Leaders of America.

Outside of the classroom, Savitha was an entrepreneur, running an Etsy business, Sunflakestickers, and growing a monetized YouTube channel, Studyfluff.

The Youth Peace and Justice Foundation will honor her through its national Trees for Peace living memorial initiatives, planting a dedicated tree in the Sam Houston National Forest.

“We are deeply grateful to the scholarship donors,” Shan said. “While they may not receive tangible benefits, they become part of a meaningful chain of generosity by paying it forward. Let us continue to keep the spirit of paying it forward alive.”

Online contributions to her fund are being accepted at this link: Savitha Shan Endowed Scholarship at UT Austin. For gifts of stock or securities, or for questions about endowment scholarship, donors may contact Justin Michalka, UT assistant vice president for Development, at justin.michalka@austin.utexas.edu.

Story by Sandra Kleinsasser