Thursday evening, more than 30 Penn students gathered together in Harrison College House to honor the birthday of a lost friend.
The students were there in memory of Wharton and Nursing senior Jeffrey Lee, who died Nov. 20 after collapsing at the finish line of the Philadelphia Half Marathon.
In addition to celebrating Lee’s 22nd birthday — which would have been on Feb. 23 — the group publicized the launch of the Jeffrey Lee Memorial Scholarship Fund, which was officially created last month.
Though the occasion was admittedly a somber one, Lee’s friends came together to turn their sadness into positive, collective memories of the late Penn senior.
As they sat down to create cards to send to Lee’s family in California, a wide range of friends and acquaintances shared smiles and laughs about the times they spent with Lee at Penn.
The group also spent time discussing the recently created scholarship fund.
The scholarship committee — which is led by 2010 College graduate Jessica Shin, 2010 Wharton and Nursing graduate Olivia Chuang and 2010 Engineering graduate Enid Chiu, who were three of Lee’s closest friends — hopes to reach the fundraising goal of $75,000 by Penn’s commencement date of May 14.
Wharton and Nursing senior Michelle Lu is especially passionate about the fund, as it will go toward supporting the education of healthcare management students who personify Lee’s “academic superiority and characteristic virtues.”
“It’s more of an embodiment of everything Jeff stood for and will support someone in the same program he excelled in,” Lu said.
Nursing junior Samantha Shen said she “couldn’t find the words” to describe Lee’s well-rounded nature and excellence in every aspect of his life. Shen met Lee the second day of New Student Orientation, when Lee was a member of Peers Helping Incoming New Students.
Their friendship grew at Penn’s Renewal College Fellowship — the college ministry of Renewal Presbyterian Church, of which Lee was a member.
“Jeff loved life and people and God,” she said. “This fund carries on everything that he stood for as a giving, kind person.”
Wharton freshman Sam Yang, who met Lee during Penn Preview Days, reflected on the impact Lee has had on his life at Penn thus far.
From playing basketball games to helping him with Management 100 status reports, Lee became a big part of Yang’s first semester at Penn.
“He always gave me encouragement and advice,” Yang said.
Even after his passing, Lee continues to make an impact on Penn’s campus.
“After the initial shock of his death, we really came together and united in RCF to overcome the grief,” Yang said. “Even when he’s not here, he manages to bring us together.”
Engineering sophomore Harmony Li said she was not surprised to see a large turnout at Lee’s birthday celebration, as “he definitely made it a point to reach out to everyone.”
“Whether he met you for the first time or had known you all his life, he would go out of his way to help you overcome any problem you may be facing,” she said.
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