Marshall Mathew, freshman, is remembered best by his friends for reminding them to "be great today." The DePauw community continues to mourn his death though the school year has ended and students have traveled home for the summer.
Mathew, 19, died during the weekend of May 14-15 south of DePauw's campus. President Brian Casey notified the campus community via email early May 16, the Monday of finals week for students. The Putnam County sheriff's department determined the cause of death to be suicide.
On campus, Mathew joined Beta Theta Pi fraternity this semester, and he was a member of the DePauw football team. He was also a member of the Management Fellows program. He lived in Lucy Rowland Hall during his freshman year.
Casey called Mathew's death "deeply saddening."
When news of Mathew's passing reached campus, students organized a candlelight vigil honoring Mathew at the Beta house. Over 100 students, faculty and staff members gathered after 1 a.m. Monday Morning to light candles, console each other and honor Mathew.
Junior Jimmy Kirkpatrick, the president of Beta, said Mathew was "an incredibly well-liked person."
"I know that [the candlelight vigil] really showed that," Kirkpatrick said. "There were a lot of people that came out."
In a statement, the men of Beta said Mathew affected a wide range of students in his time at DePauw.
"Marshall was, and continues to be, a great friend and brother," the statement said. "His spirit of generosity and love for those around him was a guiding light in our fraternity. Even in the short time that we knew him, he touched our hearts."
Kirkpatrick said the chapter has appreciated support from across the community, and that its thoughts rest with Mathew's family.
Mathew, whose mother attended DePauw, came to the university from Paradise Valley, Ariz. He was a 2010 graduate of Brophy College Preparatory, a Jesuit school in Phoenix.
"Dear Brophy Community, I am very sorry to announce that Brophy alum Marshall Mathew '10 died suddenly over the weekend. Marshall was a four-year manager of the Brophy Basketball team," read a statement from Brophy principal Bob Ryan on the school's website. "Please keep the Mathew family in your prayers."
A memorial service was held for Mathew May 17 in an almost full Kresge Auditorium. His football coach, two fraternity brothers, Casey, and mother Susan Turner Mathew all spoke.
"The only wish we have is that we could have said goodbye," said Zach Crenshaw, freshman, who read a poem that he had written when he had heard of his friends death.
"Thank you for loving my son," his mother said.
After the service, students were invited to write their memories of Mathew on posters and notes to his family. Many wrote about his determination in football or his presence in class and the management fellows program--but most wrote about his kindness.
Ken Owen, executive director of media relations, said Mathew's death is DePauw's first student suicide since 1989. Mathew's loss, Owen said, is a reminder to the community of the fragility of life.
"It's a reminder to all of us that we have to watch out for each other and talk to each other and care for each other," he said.
Student Government President Nic Flores, now a senior, said Mathew's death was a great loss for the university.
"It doesn't matter what affiliation you have …what rank you are, what class you are … we need to come together, as a community," Flores said. "We need to lift each other up."
A second memorial service was held for Mathew in his hometown in Arizona May 25. Family and friends that are at home from DePauw across the country continue to remember him through a Facebook page titled, "Thank you, Marshall Mathew."
Donations in his memory are asked to be made to the Brophy College Preparatory Foundation or the Christ Lutheran school foundation.