'Grieve together': St. Thomas acts to heal after students deaths
University of St. Thomas officials are working to bring some comfort to the campus following the recent deaths of two students.
First-year St. Thomas student and California-native Joia Simpson fell from the 10th floor of a Dinkytown apartment building near the University of Minnesota at a Halloween party early Thursday morning.
Two weeks before Simpson's death, student Katie Mullen of Andover, Minn., was found dead in her dorm room. Authorities said Thursday they do not believe Mullen's death to be suspicious.
It has been a difficult first semester for the entire campus, said the Rev. Larry Blake, chaplain and director of St. Thomas' campus ministry.
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"We have a lot of resources and counseling available on campus," Blake said. "It's an important time because people grieve together and also have that community support."
St. Paul police are investigating what lead up to Simpson's death. Simpson's family described her as someone with a beautiful smile who was interested in studying business, the university said.
St. Thomas also canceled classes Wednesday and held a campus-wide discussion on race after someone left a racist message on another student's dorm room door. News of Simpson's death came the next morning.
Blake said he believes students will continue to lift each other up and move forward from this difficult time.
"Students are making a real effort to be empathetic to one another and realize that not everybody is coming from the same place," Blake said.
Blake said more opportunities for healing in the form of vigils and prayer services will be scheduled in the coming days.