As Marquette mourns the deaths of Scott Michaud and Noah Snyder, the university is offering services to help students, faculty and staff process their grief.
On the evening of Sept. 5, Marquette men’s lacrosse players Scott Michaud and Noah Snyder were killed in a car crash at the intersection of St. Paul Avenue and 27th Street, the Milwaukee Medical Examiner confirmed Saturday morning.
Three of the other four people in the car sustained nonfatal injuries and were also lacrosse players. The person arrested at the same scene shortly after the crash was driving while intoxicated. No charges have been filed as of Monday evening.
University faces grieving process
Following a Sept. 6 Mass, Marquette students, faculty and staff now prepare to move forward while battling their emotional responses.
“Grief may come in waves. It may emerge out of nowhere,” Steve Blaha, director of Campus Ministry, told the Marquette Wire in an email. “Signs of grief may be triggered by something seemingly totally unrelated.
“You may feel anger, confusion, sadness, a desire to bargain for a return to what had been normal, you may experience a sense of acceptance. All these feelings are normal and natural. And there is no timeline for how long grief takes place.”
Luis de Zengotita, chief wellness officer, said the university is doing all it can to make students aware of resources to help cope during times of loss, with a variety of support services available on campus.
De Zengotita also emphasized the importance of caring for oneself during times of grief, keeping Marquette’s Ignatian values in mind.
“Everything you can do to embody cura personalis will help you have resilience and help you through the grieving process,” de Zengotita said.
Resources for students, faculty and staff
For those needing a space to pray, meditate or breathe, Marquette has several sacred spaces on campus, including the St. Joan of Arc Chapel, Chapel of the Holy Family and Interfaith Prayer and Meditation Room in the Alumni Memorial Union.
To give students and community members additional space for prayer and quiet reflection, the St. Joan of Arc Chapel will be closed for tours the week of Sept. 8. The chapel, as well as other sacred spaces, will maintain regular Mass hours at this time.
Campus Ministry encourages students to look out for themselves holistically during times of grief, making sure not to overlook basic needs such as eating, sleeping, exercising and connecting with loved ones.
“Grief is not linear,” Zengotita said. “In this moment you may not need the support, but something may come up. It could be an anniversary or something that reminds you of the loss, and that’s when you need support.”
In addition to the exercise spaces in the Wellness + Helfaer Recreation facility, resources are available on the third and fourth floors to address mental health needs, including the Counseling Center.
Members of the Marquette community are also encouraged to stay in communication with one another to process grief and support each others’ needs.
“We are built for community,” Blaha said in an email. “Leaning on one another is a good and necessary thing that can help with healing. Check in with friends, make use of university resources and encourage others to do so, too.”
Counseling services and pastoral support are available to Marquette faculty, staff and students at all times:
- Members of Marquette’s Campus Ministry are available to support students during times of grief and loss. Drop by AMU 236 to talk to a minister for support.
- Counseling Center staff are available in-person during business hours and 24/7 over the phone by calling (414)-288-7172.
- The Marquette Employee Assistance Program, LifeMatters, is available 24/7 for all employees and members of their households. LifeMatters can be reached at 1-800-634-6433 or through its website using the password “MU1.
Prayer on the loss of a loved one
Attributed as the Quaker Prayer
We give them back to you, dear Lord,
Who gave them to us.
Yet as you did not lose them in giving,
so we have not lost them by their return.
For what is yours is ours always, if we are yours.
And life is eternal and love is immortal
And death is only a horizon.
And a horizon is nothing more
than a limit to our sight.
Opportunity for the community to donate
Those looking for a way to support the Michaud family can donate to the Scott Michaud Memorial and Scholarship Fund.
The GoFundMe, created to help cover funeral and memorial expenses, has a goal of $18,000. According to the fundraiser’s description, any excess money raised will be used to establish a scholarship in Michaud’s name as a way to carry forward his memory and the love he shared with many.
This story was written by Lance Schulteis and Mia Thurow. They can be reached at [email protected] and [email protected].
