Posted: Sat., Feb. 8, 4 p.m. A GW sophomore was found dead in an Arlington, Va., motel room Friday afternoon.

Arlington Police officials said there is no evidence that suggests Jennifer Dierdorff, 19, of Naperville, Ill., was the victim of foul play.

Dierdorff, a member of the Alpha Phi sorority and The Hatchet’s production manager, was discovered by employees of the Americana Motel at about 2 p.m., officials said.

“Her death comes as a shock to us, and we are mourning the loss of our friend and colleague,” said Hatchet Editor in Chief Mosheh Oinounou. “She was a great listener and a devoted and caring friend.”

University President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg said Dierdorff’s death has reverberated throughout campus.

“We have a sense of tragedy whenever any part of the GW community is diminished, and we’re all lesser because one of our fellows has died,” Trachtenberg said in an interview Saturday.

“Life hands (us) these terrible, terrible situations and the test is, I suppose, how we deal with them,” he added.