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MSU student found dead in Shaw Hall on Jan. 11

January 12, 2022
Shaw Hall on Aug. 11, 2020.
Shaw Hall on Aug. 11, 2020. —
Photo by Annie Barker | The State News

A student was found dead in Shaw Hall during the evening of Jan. 11, MSU officials have confirmed.

The student, Monica Ibarra, was a psychology sophomore and a Shaw Hall resident. Investigators have not determined a cause of death.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the student,” MSU deputy spokesperson Dan Olsen said in a statement. “This was a tragic incident and we are working closely with the family and those close to the student to provide support and resources.”

Olsen pointed to numerous on-campus resources to assist with those struggling in the aftermath of the announcement— specifically Counseling and Psychiatric Services, or CAPS, and the Employee Assistance Program, or EAP.

CAPS can be contacted at (517) 355-8270. The EAP can be contacted through their webpage at eap.msu.edu.

Olsen urged those affected to turn to family and friends as well.

“It’s important to remember that the grief some individuals may be experiencing as a result of this tragic loss is normal and there are a number of ways in which individuals can seek support, including talking with family, friends and colleagues to process this,” Olsen said. 

In an email sent to Shaw Hall residents, the university said that the MSU Student Life and Engagement division was working with Ibarra’s family to provide support.

“We ask members of the MSU community to honor Ibarra’s memory during this difficult time,” Shaw and McDonel Community Director Brooke Robinson wrote in the email.

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