More than 100 students, faculty, staff and community members gathered at Muller Chapel yesterday to mourn the loss of junior Andrea Morton.

Morton passed away yesterday morning because of a sudden medical condition. Dave Maley, associate director of media relations, said Morton went to the Health Center last Thursday when she first felt ill. She was transported to Cayuga Medical Center and then on Friday was transferred from CMC to SUNY

Upstate Medical University Hospital in Syracuse, N.Y., where she passed away.

Morton, a clinical health studies major and resident assistant in Emerson Hall, was recently honored with the Peggy R. Williams Award for Academic and Community Leadership. She was a member of the Physical Therapy Association, Oracle Society and Ithaca College Chorus. She was also an active member of the Vineyard Church of Ithaca.

Maley said her death was not related to the swine flu outbreak.

On the tiered steps in Muller Chapel, friends gathered to share their stories and memories of Morton, who many said was selfless, jovial and always smiling.

Senior Ara Eckel, a fellow RA and friend, said Morton excelled in all she did — athletics, academics and as an RA.

“She was always happy and the reason was that she never stopped living life,” he said. “Everything that she could do, she did it. And she did it to the fullest. … That confidence at such a young age is something to admire.”

Senior Josh Giordano, an RA in Emerson, said he will remember Morton most for her compassion. He said for his birthday a few weeks ago, when Morton was sick, she decorated a seat for him at an RA staff meeting with balloons and a sign that read, “This is reserved for the birthday boy.”

“She made a dessert for me [even] after she’d missed a couple days of school, and she was not in peak condition,” Giordano said. “It made my day, and it was awesome.”

Morton, a music minor, was known for having a moving voice.

“Whenever she was on office duty you could always hear her playing or singing along to [music],” he said. “You could just walk past her room, and you would always hear her singing. … It just showed how happy she was.”

Brian McAree, vice president of student affairs and campus life, said Morton’s death is a loss to the community.

“We have just lost an incredible young woman who was a valued member of the Ithaca College community,” he said. “Our hearts and prayers go out to her family, her friends, her faculty and her fellow students at this very difficult time. We will keep everybody in our prayers.”

Anyone needing support can call the Counseling Center at 274-3136.