York President and Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri sent this message to the University community:
Three years ago we mourned the tragic loss of Qian (Necole) Liu, an international student from Beijing studying at York University. Remembered fondly by her parents, friends and teachers as a kind-hearted young woman who excelled both as a student and artist, and as a curious, courageous and independent individual, Ms. Liu’s life was taken suddenly in April 2011.
Yesterday, a jury convicted Brian Dickson of first-degree murder, bringing closure to an enormously sad and painful episode for all those who knew and loved Ms. Liu.
Ms. Liu had an incredible ability for learning languages, and was enjoying great success as an artist. She was planning to pursue a master’s of fine arts in new media once she had upgraded her English skills.
Today, the legacy and spirit of Ms. Liu remain very much with us here at York University. The tree planted in the Founders College courtyard in honour of her memory serves as a constant reminder of her, as does the annual Qian Liu Scholarship which has now been awarded to three students from the York University English Language Institute (YUELI) — Heqing Huang, Wanmeng Wei and Yue Guan — for demonstrating the highest academic achievement in their previous studies and achieving the highest level of proficiency at YUELI. On the anniversary of Ms. Liu’s death, next week, YUELI will set up a table in its reception area to display Ms. Liu’s memorial book and her photo and will lay flowers at the tree.
On behalf of the entire York University community, I would like to offer once again our sincerest condolences to Qian Liu’s parents, family and friends.