ALLENDALE, Mich. — Grand Valley State President Philomena Mantella issued a statement to the campus community Thursday with an update on the death of a student.
According to Mantella, the medical examiner has ruled Taylor DeRosa's death accidental.
A runner found DeRosa's body on Dec. 12, 2020 near the intramural athletic field on the university's Allendale campus. DeRosa was a first-year student from Royal Oak.
"Police Chief Brandon DeHaan has reinforced his earlier statements that there was never, and is not now, any safety risk to the campus associated with this sad event," Mantella said in the statement.
"Taylor’s death is a terrible tragedy for her family and all those close to her. We know her fellow students, as well as our faculty and staff, have been affected. We are a caring community and our hearts go out to all who knew and loved Taylor. We respect their need to grieve and honor Taylor’s memory."
According to a GoFundMe page created to raise funds for DeRosa's memorial, she was an advocate for gun control, Black Lives Matter, women's rights, and several other organizations and movements that support equality.
As the campus community mourns the loss of DeRosa, the university offers support services to students, and employees in need of counseling services may use the employee assistance program.
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