After the tragic death of Wharton undergraduate student Electra Bynoe, members of the University community are coming together to respond to the news and grieve the loss of a student and friend.
"Our first priority is to contact and comfort family members and friends," Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said. "Certainly, the next highest priority is to reach other Penn community members."
McCoullum explained that in the wake of a student death, the University's staff goes on "24-hour support mode" in an attempt to comfort and offer help to family and friends.
"When a student is lost... there are a number of offices and individuals who work together to provide support to the family of the students, friends of the students, classmates and other people who may have known the student... and to the entire Penn family," McCoullum said.
She noted that in addition to VPUL, the Chaplain's office, the office of Counseling and Psychological Services, the Penn Police and its Special Services Department, the School Dean's Office, the Reach-A-Peer Line and other peer resources are available to students. Services may also be provided through the college house system.
Wharton Undergraduate Vice Dean Thomas Dunfee said that staff members have "been very professional and yet at the same time saddened and concerned" in response to Bynoe's death.
"I think the administration is very sad about the loss of another student with so much potential," Dunfee said, noting that this has been "an extremely difficult year."
Since October, the University has suffered the loss of five students. Bynoe's death marks the second death that has been ruled a suicide.
McCoullum said that in recent months, she has seen Penn students, faculty, and staff come together to react to each tragedy.
"During this academic year, as in no other year in my twenty-five years at Penn, I have seen the students, staff and faculty of the University come together to care for each other," McCoullum said. "I expect that this compassionate and thoughtful response will continue and deepen."
Dunfee said that a notice was sent to all Wharton students informing them of Bynoe's death.
And at 4 p.m. yesterday, community members gathered together in Steinberg-Dietrich Hall with Wharton, VPUL and CAPS staff members to address the tragedy and offer support to one another.
CAPS Director Ilene Rosenstein said that since the news of Bynoe's death, University students, staff and faculty have been "super-sensitive" to one another, which she feels is the best thing to do in this type of situation.
Members of the Penn community need "to remember both the beauty and sadness of life... and to keep on helping each other through this tough period," Rosenstein explained. "I think it is important just to talk and put it in perspective. Anytime we lose anybody, it hurts us... I think it's devastating."
She added that students should remember to "take care of yourself. Understand that this takes time to work through psychologically... don't isolate yourself. Let people know how you're feeling, if you're feeling vulnerable."
McCoullum echoed Rosenstein's remarks, saying that students at Penn "have such a wide circle of care... and we try to move within that circle of care to help in whatever way we can."
Rosenstein explained that members of the Penn community are "the eyes and ears of each other" and stressed the importance of individuals supporting one another during what has been "a very tough year."
According to McCoullum, Penn staff and faculty members will continue to work to provide any services that might be needed by friends and family members of the deceased.
"We work through the day and we do whatever we need to do... to try to provide services which can range from individual and group meetings, support if the family would like it in making travel arrangements, contacting faculty," McCoullum said. "Anything that we can think of that will bring the family, friends and classmates' solace."
University Chaplain William Gipson expressed similar sentiments, saying that he will work in cooperation with VPUL, CAPS, the Victim Support Unit of Penn Police and other organizations to help bring together those who knew Bynoe and offer them the information and comfort that they need in this time of grief.
"We're primarily interested in pulling together the various communities the deceased student was a part of, so that they will have some immediate support from the various resources of the University," Gipson said. "We try to provide a real network of support for everyone who is directly impacted by the loss."
Rosenstein said that typically, CAPS works specifically with those individuals who were closest to the deceased and express a desire for support.
According to Dunfee, a memorial service for Bynoe will be planned in cooperation with family members and friends.
"There will be an appropriate memorial, but we need to get the input from family and friends," Dunfee said. "We do want to be sensitive to her family and many friends."
Dunfee added that students who are having trouble dealing with the tragedy should seek help from either the CAPS office, which is located at 34th and Walnut streets, or from Wharton advisers, depending on how they have been affected.
"We encourage Wharton students to come in and see the division advisers," Dunfee said.
Rosenstein echoed Dunfee's advice, and encouraged students and faculty to either walk in or schedule an appointment at CAPS if they are having difficulty dealing with the news of Bynoe's death or experiencing any other emotional problems.
