University responds to SMG junior's death

In the wake of School of Management junior Andrew Lawrence's death Friday, the Boston University community is providing a multitude of resources for grieving students.

Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore said the university reacts to a death within the community by making its services as available as possible.

"We try, of course, to provide assistance and support to a student's parents, family and friends," he said. "We also need to make sure we provide support to the Boston University community, and that means trying to keep the community as informed as we can within the bounds of respect for the family."

More than 100 of Lawrence's friends and family members gathered with candles and photographs Friday night for a vigil on Marsh Plaza.

School of Management Undergraduate Program Director Norm Blanchard said the college is also available for support.

"Our hearts go out to Andrew's family and friends," he said, echoing a statement made by Elmore. "It is what it is - a horribly sad situation."

Elmore described BU students' reactions to Lawrence's death as mature and respectful.

"Deaths in the family are just difficult," he said. "They kind of bring us back to reality, they bring us back to an examination of ourselves and our own lives and that can be difficult for many people.

"Generally speaking, there's the emotional reaction," he continued. "It's sad - it is always a sad and shocking thing when a young person passes away, for whatever reason that might be."

Many students wrote their last messages to Lawrence on his Facebook.com wall. Many of the entries describe Lawrence as being genuine, unique and friendly. Some students said on his wall they wished they had more time to get to know him better.

Reaching out to others in times of sadness is one of the great things that binds BU together, Elmore said.

"There's nothing wrong with crying on a friend's shoulder," he said. "There's nothing wrong with calling home and just discussing it with your folks - that's part of what a community is and now is a time that we're reminded that we are a community."

One of the biggest responsibilities the university has is to make sure all of its students are taken care of, Elmore said. Much of the assistance comes from the Office of Residence Life, but also extends to the Behavioral Health Center, part of Student Health Services.

"There are also a number of other counseling resources on campus," he said, "including the Danielsen Institute, the Center for Anxiety Related Disorders ... and a number of pastoral counselors. Our chaplains are here under Marsh Chapel if people need that sort of assistance via a religious person."

Rev. James Olson said the university chaplains are available to help students with any counseling needs.

"There's a comprehensive set of resources available at the university to students for this sort of thing," Olson, the associate dean of Marsh Chapel, said. "We are ready to step in and help students. It's a big part of what we do."

Olson said students can turn to any of the several religious life organizations on campus and student mental health services for any additional help.

"We go into care mode," he said. "Our concern is for the students ... to tell them in an appropriate way and that we're available for counseling ... to begin the grieving process and to do that in a helpful way without disrupting academic studies."

Olson said students can turn to Marsh Chapel, the office of all religious life on campus, for further assistance. They can also speak to any of the chaplains who are directly available through Marsh Chapel.

"For many of the students, it's the first time someone their age has died," he said. "They are mortal, and we need to be there to catch them a little bit and help them figure that out."

Blanchard said he and Elmore spoke with Lawrence's classmates Friday afternoon.

"We started preliminary talks about holding an event to somehow honor his memory," he said, "and we want to talk to Andrew's family and just talk to the chaplain here at the school so we can put together something that will appropriately honor Andrew's memory."