EDITOR’S NOTE — Mental health support is available to SIU students through Counseling and Psychological Services at 618-453-5371. An after-hours support line is available at 1-833-434-1217.
Members of the SIU community are remembering three students who died after Chancellor Austin Lane announced the deaths in emails on Sept. 18 and Sept. 23.
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The morning of Sept. 18 Lane sent a school-wide email informing everyone on the deaths of two students; Ramesh Mutthina, a master’s student in health informatics, and senior psychology student Selena Hubbard.
Another email was sent by Lane on Sept. 23 updating the school of the death of SIU automotive technology student Henry “Hank” Souders writing, “We understand this news, following the deaths of two other students, comes as a shock to many of our students.”
No information about causes of death have been released by SIU administration or SIU Police Department. SIU Police Chief Ben Neuman did not return calls for comment. Information on Hubbard’s memorial has yet to be announced.
SIU’s Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Jeff Harmon was contacted through email confirming one student death was on campus and the other two were off campus with no additional information at this time.
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Lane wrote in both emails to all students that “International Student and Scholar Services at the Center for International Education is available to provide additional guidance and support.” He also said Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is available by calling 618-453-5371.
The SIU international student community gathered to Remember Ramesh Mutthina at a memorial Sept. 18 held in the Center for International Education office.
As many as 40 students, professors and colleagues of Mutthina’s gathered to share their grief and experiences with him followed by a moment of silence and candle lighting ceremony.
In a place that usually hosts coffee hours, members of the international student community gathered to mourn the loss of a student who touched multiple lives on campus
“Most of you all have known him for sharing the same class or lab, if not, then definitely the coffee hour,” speaker and friend of Mutthina’s Aleemuddin Mohammed said. “It was impossible to escape from him in the coffee hour with his joyful conversations being so involved with people after that long day and long weekends.”
Mohammed said Mutthina was the classmate that encouraged his peers to always work harder for future opportunities, and that many in attendance had collaborated with him on research papers.
“He was one of our very own members of [the] international community, just like you all are, and we are all here, one strong family of Salukis,” Mohammed said. “I know this is very hard for some of us to accept that he is no longer between us, and some of us are finding it hard to deal with this as well.”
Mohammed advised people to utilize mental health resources on campus if they feel the need to speak to someone.
After two other speakers briefly spoke about Mutthina, the minute of silence was held, followed by the candle lighting for those who wanted to participate, which concluded the service.
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Jamilah Lewis can be reached at [email protected]. To stay up to date with all your southern Illinois news, follow the Daily Egyptian on Facebook and Twitter.
Editors Note: This story was updated on Sept. 23, 2024 at 5:35 p.m. to include information on Souders death.
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