On the day following the memorial for fellow Colonial Taylor Hubbard, we are reminded of both the legacy he has left here on campus and of the ways in which he will be missed.

A large crowd gathered in Kogan Plaza Wednesday night to share stories about Taylor and take a moment to remember their friend. The memorial served as a touching reminder of the sadness students felt at his loss and the loving support of our fellow students.

Seeing as a majority of the GW community had already departed campus for the summer when a tragic fall took Taylor’s life in May, we find it important to take this opportunity once again to remember the life of a student who has touched so many people.

A large portion of this editorial is taken from the original editorial printed after the news of Taylor’s death.

Hubbard was a biomedical engineering student. He enjoyed playing ultimate frisbee and soccer, and was described by a friend as “incredibly athletic.” He was also a member of the Alpha Pi Chapter of Alpha Chi Sigma, a co-ed professional fraternity in chemistry.

Despite his heavy workload and dedication to his studies, peers described Hubbard as someone who was always willing to help others with their work. Hubbard’s friends and family remember his outgoing personality and happy demeanor, and note that he could always be seen with a smile on his face. They also described him as someone who liked everyone he met, and who developed many friendships throughout his time at GW. He will be greatly missed by those who knew him, and by others here on campus.

Regardless of your personal connection to Hubbard, it is understandable that one may feel sadness over this tragedy. GW students can relate to the life Hubbard led at GW, as he was a student, teammate and member of Greek-letter life. One did not need to know Hubbard personally to feel sadness over his death, as this loss is one the entire University shares.

In the wake of a tragedy, coping with grief never follows an established timeline. Students could feel sadness almost immediately, or that sadness could be delayed. As the fall semester begins, those feelings of sadness could resurface. But you should not feel alone, as there are resources available for confronting grief. The University Counseling Center offers help and is accessible. Students can use the UCC by calling or visiting the center in person.

As Taylor’s friends, teammates and classmates embark on a new semester, it is not hard to imagine how bittersweet this time must be for them. Taylor was known to always be smiling, and many of those in attendance at the memorial noted that he would not want his friends’ sadness to overshadow the happy memories they have of him. The memorial in Taylor’s honor reflected his love of GW, along with how deeply he will be missed here. We share in the loss of our fellow GW student.

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