A $50,000 reward is being offered for the safe return of a missing first-year Carleton University student.

Eighteen-year-old Nadia Kajouji was last seen March 9 after returning to Ottawa following a university reading week which she spent with her family in Brampton, Ont.

Her father, Mohamad Kajouji, is offering the reward in hopes it will help speed up his daughter's return.

He says he will mortgage his home in order to come up with the reward money.

The missing teen's parents say she was not acting herself and seemed depressed in the days leading up to her disappearance.

Kajouji's father, however, says he does not believe his daughter would harm herself.

Ottawa police say they haven't found any evidence of foul play.

Kajouji is described as having dark skin and shoulder-length brown hair with blonde streaks. She is 5'8 and 130-pounds. Her eyebrow and tongue are pierced.

Anyone who has any information on Kajouji's whereabouts is asked to contact Ottawa police at 613-236-1222, ext. 3726.