Mohammad (Tom) Hosseinpour is in the School of Pharmacy’s graduating Class of 2026, and he can barely believe it.
Originally from Iran, Mr. Hosseinpour came to Canada on a student visa on Dec. 26, 2019, less than a month before Snowmageddon, and less than three months before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I was looking at different universities across Canada, and I came across Memorial University,” he said. “When I looked at the scenery of St. John’s and Newfoundland in general, something clicked. It didn’t just feel like a place to study. It felt like a place I could embark on my adventures and build a new life.”
Far from family
His time at the School of Pharmacy has been a bittersweet journey. There were moments when he felt like he couldn’t keep going.
All of his family is in Iran, so it’s been difficult not having their presence in his daily life.
Since moving to Canada, he’s only been able to visit his home once in 2023, but he’s glad he did, as the ongoing war has made it much more complicated to travel there.
“[Newfoundland] didn’t just feel like a place to study.”
Mr. Hosseinpour says he feels honoured to have received multiple Memorial University scholarships during his studies here; he received the Joseph Dicks Memorial Bursary from the School of Pharmacy in 2022, followed by three scholarships in 2023 and another in 2025.
And, before entering the Doctor of Pharmacy Program, he received the Department of Psychology’s Undergraduate Research Award. The recognition means a great deal to him, both financially and personally, he says.
Despite the ups and downs of living abroad away from his family and friends, it has contributed immensely to Mr. Hosseinpour’s personal growth.
At times, the political and economic challenges in Iran, particularly since the start of the war, have meant he’s not always able to communicate with his parents.
Being able to check in with them, seeing their faces, is a tremendous help.
‘Everything you have’
Now, graduating with his doctor of pharmacy degree feels like a huge milestone. He says leaving student life is both exciting and sad.
“I made meaningful friendships through pharmacy school, some people who I can truly consider family, and believe me, living alone with your family in another country, these people are everything you have.”
Life has become much more expensive since starting his program, so Mr. Hosseinpour says he is grateful to be graduating with a degree that promises employment in his field. He plans to work as a pharmacist in St. John’s for a few years and is looking forward to the next chapter of his life.
“I also would like to tell other students to never give up. The moment you feel like giving up, there will be rays of hope.”
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