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Abigail Mawonde Herald Reporter
Two Zimbabwean graduates died in separate incidents last week in the United States.

The US Embassy Public Affairs Section in Harare confirmed the deaths yesterday.

“Our sincere condolences to the family of two prominent graduates of the United States Student Achievers Program (USAP), Nancy Tinoza and Morlene Tariro Magoronga. Both students died in separate incidents in the United States,” read part of a short statement issued by the embassy.

The embassy could not give more details. But according to media reports in the US, 26-year-old Tinoza died on March 22 when the driver of a car in which she was a passenger rammed a parked tractor trailer in Northeast Washington DC.

Tinoza was said to have suffered “massive blunt force trauma” to the head and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Washington Medical Centre’s trauma unit.

Police arrested the driver, Momodu Bello, who was drunk and charged him with second-degree murder.

Tinoza worked as a research assistant with the International Monetary Fund, according to her LinkedIn profile, and graduated from the College of Wooster in 2012 through the US Student Achievers Programme (USAP) which places international students in US colleges.

Magoronga, who graduated from Williams College in June 2014, passed away suddenly in Boston on March 24, a relative said in an online publication.

Morlene was a psychology major and an AfricanaStudies concentrator.

At the time of her death, Morlene was a fellow at Bridge International Academies where she was following her passion for education.

“She was a bright, intelligent, kind, fun, sweet, loving and caring daughter, sister and friend,” said Wendy Magoronga, a sister.

Meanwhile, the US Student Achievers Programme (USAP) has set up a fundraising page to help in the repatriation of the bodies to Zimbabwe.