By:  Paige Scofield
Campus Life Editor

A message from President Rex Fuller:

Dear Western Oregon University community,
It is with great sorrow that I tell you our Associated Students of Western Oregon University President Alma Pacheco passed away on Dec. 9. Many of us cared for Alma and now we grieve together with her friends, family and loved ones. We extend our deepest sympathy to all who loved Alma and have been touched by her commitment to our community. Please join me in respecting the privacy of Alma’s family; we believe it is their choice on whether or not they want to share the circumstances of her passing.

Alma joined Western to study communications after earning her associate’s degree from Mt. Hood Community College. From El Salvador, she was a passionate advocate for students on our campus and cared about access to college for all and led a town hall event last month to address post-election fear. Throughout these challenging days, Alma has called us to look forward in unity.

In the meantime, we encourage you to share your stories and photos of Alma with each other.

Our hearts go out to Alma’s family and friends as we all grieve for this important member of our community. Western is a caring community and this loss is a shock to us all. Grieving is a difficult process and takes different forms for us all. Seeking support and resources is a sign of strength and we encourage you to share your feelings with those you feel comfortable doing so.

Memorials to honor and pay tribute to Alma were held on Dec. 11, 13 and 14. On Dec. 11 a candlelight vigil was held for Alma at the Main Street Park in Monmouth, Oregon. On Dec. 13, visitation was held at Gresham Memorial Chapel. On Dec. 14 funeral mass was held at Ascension Catholic Church in Portland, Oregon. Alma was buried on Dec. 14 at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Gresham, Oregon.

Contact the author @ journalcampuslife@wou.edu