Editorial | Taking time to grieve
Kristin Kumagawa, a graduate student in the School of Communication, died on March 2 after a medical emergency. She was often seen on campus with her service dog, Mailie. Photos from The Panther Archives
It’s hard to find words at a time like this.
At The Panther, we were absolutely devastated to hear about the death of yet another student. Kristin Kumagawa, a graduate student in the School of Communication, died on March 2 after a medical emergency.
Kumagawa had an auto-immune disorder and was often seen on campus with her service dog, Mailie.
Kumagawa has been featured in many stories by The Panther, but most notably, she was interviewed in a 2021 story about different students on campus with service dogs.
She brought a sense of joy to the article as she spoke about Mailie and their unbreakable bond.
A disability studies minor, she was an advocate for people with disabilities and often spoke about how her chronic illness affected her life. She was involved with Chapman Spoonies, a club for people with chronic illnesses and disabilities.
Kumagawa, originally from Torrance, CA, was beginning her master’s degree program in health and strategic communication after completing her bachelor’s degree in communication studies last fall. She was also involved with Greek life, a member of Chapman’s Delta Delta Delta.
Some of us knew Kumagawa through the School of Communication, others knew her through Greek life and some remember seeing her and Mailie walking across campus — a smile always plastered on her face.
Kumagawa was a beautiful person inside and out. She radiated positivity and compassion everywhere she went and embodied her sorority’s motto of being “kind alike to all.” She was a bright, loving and caring soul. She inspired so many people throughout her time at Chapman as an orientation leader, a sorority sister, a student employee for the Department of Student Engagement and as a friend.
We grieve the loss of such a beautiful soul that just so recently walked our campus. She will be deeply and greatly missed by all.
Tyler Scheetz, a sophomore communication studies major from Palo Alto, died in a car accident on Jan. 8.
Her death comes too soon after the loss of another School of Communication student, Tyler Scheetz.
Scheetz, a sophomore communication studies major from Palo Alto, died in a car accident on Jan. 8. Scheetz wrote an opinion piece for The Panther in November 2022 titled “A single question with unlimited potential.”
In the piece, Scheetz discusses the importance of building a strong relationship with yourself. An outpouring of support manifests in the comment section of Scheetz’s article on The Panther’s website.
We republished Scheetz’s piece in the February edition of The Panther to honor his memory. Many of us also knew him or edited his work.
Every single person featured in The Panther, either as a staff member, guest contributor or interviewee, is part of our Panther family. These tragic losses weigh on our hearts and serve as a reminder of how precious life is.
As students, we spend most of our college days dreaming of our futures, not anticipating which moments could be our last. We recognize that we must take the necessary time and space to mourn the lives lost. We offer our condolences to the families of the students that passed.
We encourage any grieving student to reach out for help with the Fish Interfaith Center, Student Psychological Counseling Services or anywhere else you feel safe.
The School of Communication created a memorial page for Kumagawa. Her memorial will be held Thursday, March 16 at 3:30 p.m. in the Wallace All Faiths Chapel of the Fish Interfaith Center.