Staff Editorial: Lessons and realities

By all accounts, Jose Joseph was a kind, energetic and thoughtful member of the Penn community.

He was a Wharton junior and, like many of his ambitious classmates, chose to double up on concentrations. He was an involved resident of Hamilton College House, and even served as an information technology adviser.

But beyond those qualities, Jose was a friend. A son. A classmate. A member of communities both here in Philadelphia, and in his hometown of Venice, Fla.

And now, sadly, he is gone.

There are few words powerful enough to explain what kind of feelings Jose might have been experiencing before he chose to take his own life Friday morning. No one on this campus can possibly understand the range and nature of his emotions; likewise, no one can explain his ultimate decision by way of anecdote, assumption or theory.

In his wake, Jose left a stunned university and a distraught group of friends and classmates. He joined the tragic roster -- more than 30,000 per year strong, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- of Americans who have chosen to end their own lives. And his death brought into chilling reality the results of a 2000 CDC study, which concluded that one out of every 10 U.S. college students has at some point contemplated suicide.

Those are the sad realities. The lessons, on the other hand, transcend numbers.

During this difficult time -- a time of reflection, and certainly a time of grieving -- it is important for this University to come together to support those who have been hurt by Jose's death, and those who may be experiencing similar feelings of despair.

Whether it's through Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Health, the Reach-a-Peer Helpline or even one-on-one chats with professors and classmates, there are many places to turn should you be feeling helpless, angry or just plain sad.

They are precious resources. All can help guide this University through this tragedy. And all, even more importantly, can help prevent another.

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