Campus Community Mourns
By: Ashley Zilka
Updated: October 2, 2012
Counselors are now on hand at SUNY Brockport to help both students and staff cope with Saturday's tragedy.
"The worst part of it is that the freshmen are going through all this right now. It was a freshman that died, it was her first month on campus here and it's just upsetting," said Sean Flynn, a freshman student.
SUNY Brockport students say they are shocked one day after one of their own was brutally murdered.
The unidentified woman's boyfriend, 21-year-old Clayton Whittemore of New Hartford, near Utica, is accused of the crime. Now, counselors at the school are helping students cope with the aftermath.
"Many of them never experienced a loss like this, some of them have and when they have it can be even worse for them," said Libby Caruso, Director of Health and Counseling.
Caruso says the counseling center stayed open all weekend for individual and group sessions. The murder has brought up many questions about the victim's relationship with the accused killer.
Now, the school plans to add dating violence programs.
"Students are going to bring this to the forefront themselves. They will probably drive it. Much of our programming comes from student peer educators and they will be meeting tomorrow morning," said Caruso.
"We will spend more time talking about this type of unhealthy relationship when things become more and more controlling," said Caruso.
Until those programs are set up, students and staff will continue to grieve and feel the effects of this tragedy.
"They need to take this information and this story with them and I believe they will," said Caruso.
"I know it was an individual assault, it wasn't something that was going to impact any other student, but it already has," said Flynn.
The counseling center staff will be available throughout the week.
"The worst part of it is that the freshmen are going through all this right now. It was a freshman that died, it was her first month on campus here and it's just upsetting," said Sean Flynn, a freshman student.
SUNY Brockport students say they are shocked one day after one of their own was brutally murdered.
The unidentified woman's boyfriend, 21-year-old Clayton Whittemore of New Hartford, near Utica, is accused of the crime. Now, counselors at the school are helping students cope with the aftermath.
"Many of them never experienced a loss like this, some of them have and when they have it can be even worse for them," said Libby Caruso, Director of Health and Counseling.
Caruso says the counseling center stayed open all weekend for individual and group sessions. The murder has brought up many questions about the victim's relationship with the accused killer.
Now, the school plans to add dating violence programs.
"Students are going to bring this to the forefront themselves. They will probably drive it. Much of our programming comes from student peer educators and they will be meeting tomorrow morning," said Caruso.
"We will spend more time talking about this type of unhealthy relationship when things become more and more controlling," said Caruso.
Until those programs are set up, students and staff will continue to grieve and feel the effects of this tragedy.
"They need to take this information and this story with them and I believe they will," said Caruso.
"I know it was an individual assault, it wasn't something that was going to impact any other student, but it already has," said Flynn.
The counseling center staff will be available throughout the week.
Comments
R.I.P sweet girl
william t.
September 30, 2012 at 6:09 pm
