Betsy Gilligan’s life was cut too short. At just 22 years old, the May 2010 graduate was killed in a car-related accident two weeks ago.
But as family, friends and the Ithaca College community mourn the death of a vibrant young woman, there is comfort that her name will live on in a memorial fund the college is establishing. The fund will be used for students in the Roy H. Park School of Communications, where Gilligan was a television-radio major. It’s a way for students — present and future — to feel a connection to one of our own. The college and Gilligan’s loved ones are applauded for starting the fund to remember Gilligan.
When a life is lost at such a young age, it’s a moment for students to take time to reflect. When we’re young, we happen to think we’re invincible. Unfortunately, it sometimes takes a tragedy to remind us life is short. Students are encouraged to not only think about Gilligan and her loved ones but to also remember that life is often too short.