Between 1-2:30 am on Saturday, September 10, a freshman passed away in Hall Hall. In an e-mailed statement to the RPI community, Vice President for Student Life Eddie Knowles stated that the death was an apparent suicide.
At the family’s request, the student’s name is not being released. The official cause of death had not yet been determined.
Dean of Students Mark Smith said the e-mail was sent out because it was felt that students needed to know. Funeral services for the student were planned to be held on Wednesday afternoon.
As Knowles said in his e-mail, “Counseling and support services are being provided for our students by our Health Center staff. It is essential at this time—and always—for those affected by this terrible loss to know that they are not alone and that there are people here to support and assist them.”
In a Newsweek article originally posted online in August 2004, the magazine stated that over 1,100 college students commit suicide each year, citing estimates of mental heath groups. According to Knowles, it’s been over 20 years since there was an on-campus student suicide at RPI.
For more information on suicide issues and suicide prevention, see Dr. Joe Albert’s article on Page 11 entitled, “Recognize warning signs of depression in self, others.”
