At a grief counseling session for the University community Monday afternoon, Associate Chaplain Stephen Kocher confirmed that College sophomore Alex Ryles “did take his own life.”
Ryles died Sunday, according to University spokeswoman Lori Doyle.
His parents, brother and sister attended the session at Houston Hall.
Several faculty members and approximately 50 students were in attendance as well, many of whom were visibly distraught and consoled each other in small groups.
Administrators, including Director of Counseling and Psychological Services Bill Alexander and Director of Student Intervention Services Sharon Smith, will be working with family and friends to plan a campus memorial service.
They will also be holding smaller meetings next week for groups of friends who were close with Ryles.
He was 19 years old when he died and would have turned 20 this Saturday, Nov. 28, according to his Facebook profile.
An Urban Studies major, Ryles attended The Menlo School in his hometown of Atherton, Calif. He also contributed to 34th Street Magazine.
The Division of Public Safety would not comment on Ryles’ time of death nor the location where his body was found.
Students in need of counseling should contact Counseling and Psychological Services at (215) 898-7021.
Any person wishing to contribute comments or additional information should e-mail Daily Pennsylvanian Managing Editor Rebecca Kaplan at kaplan@dailypennsylvanian.com.
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