An accomplished Georgetown University law student committed to social justice was one of 157 people killed when an Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed on Sunday, university officials have announced.

At the time of the crash, Cedric Asiavugwa, a 32-year-old third-year law student and scholar, was heading home to Nairobi, Kenya following the death of his fiancée’s mother, according to Georgetown. Flight ET302 was bound for Nairobi and crashed shortly after takeoff near Addis Ababa.

“This is a tragic loss for Cedric’s family and loved ones, for Georgetown and for the broader social justice community that benefitted every day from his passion, compassion, and dedication,” said a joint letter from William Treanor, executive vice president and dean at Rev. Mark Bosco, vice president for mission and ministry.

The school remembered Asiavugwa on Sunday night during its 7 p.m. mass inside the Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart. In the wake of his death, Georgetown officials are offering free counseling to its staff and students.

Asiavugwa was born in Kenya and graduated from the University of Zimbabwe with a B.A. in philosophy with the highest honors. His passion for serving refugees and other marginalized groups brought him to Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and finally, Georgetown.

His accomplishments were wide ranging. Asiavugwa helped found a community organization that seeks to protect vulnerable women and children fleeing war in Somalia, researched issues including international conflicts and food security across East Africa, directed a television series on peace and reconciliation, and worked as editor-in-chief of the philosophy journal Chiedza. As a member of Georgetown’s Campus Ministry offices for three years, Asiavugwa guided first-year undergraduates as a residential minister in the New South residence hall, and he interned at the law center’s campus ministry office. In his spare time, he took early morning runs, supported the Manchester United Football Club, and wrote short stories, according to his profile on Georgetown Law’s website.

“With his passing, the Georgetown family has lost a stellar student, a great friend to many, and a dedicated champion for social justice across East Africa and the world,” the letter said.

Asiavugwa isn’t the only local connection to the tragedy. Max Thabiso Edkins, a 35-year-old World Bank Group communications officer, was also aboard the flight. Edkins, a national of both South Africa and Germany, worked for World Bank’s D.C.-based Connect4Climate communications platform that pushes for climate action. He is survived by his wife, Astrid, and a young son.

“We were devastated to learn that we lost a cherished colleague in the plane crash in Ethiopia,” Kristalina Georgeiva, interim president of the World Bank Group said in a statement. “Max was deeply committed to the fight against climate change and brought tremendous creativity, energy and passion to his work. Our deepest sympathies go to his family and loved ones, and to those of the other victims of this tragedy.”

Additionally, some family members of the plane’s pilot, Yared Getachew, live in Northern Virginia. Adnan Mohamed, one of his cousins, tweeted a statement from the family that reads in part: “As a confident captain, his seniority at Ethiopian Airlines comes with an accomplished record of 8,000 hours flight time, and has made us incredibly proud of his achievements. We ask you to keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we go through this difficult time.”

This story has been updated with information about Max Thabiso Edkins, and to reflect that the mass in honor of Cedric Asiavugwa occurred on Sunday evening.