Tomorrow marks the two-week anniversary of University student Michelle Collier's death. Given the outpourings of love and expressions of grief in Charlottesville during the 14 days following her passing, someone who didn't know Collier might suppose that she had been at the University for years. That person would probably assume she had strong ties to the school, that perhaps she had even grown up in a neighboring area.
Such a person would never guess that, in actuality, Collier only attended the University for the past three months. She had transferred from Villanova University, where she studied for two years. In light of the impact Collier's death has had on the University, the time she spent here was clearly as remarkable as it was brief.
"Michelle was very outgoing, energetic, and one of those people who, when you're around them, their energy just radiates outwards and puts you in a good mood," third-year Engineering student Ashley Davenport said. "Her family and friends meant the world to her -- she just loved them."
And they loved her right back. Collier's wake, which was held Nov. 22 in Westwood, N.J., lasted nearly nine hours as hundreds of relatives and friends from Villanova, the University and Collier's high schools flocked to the funeral home to bid their goodbyes.
"Her mom and dad were standing there pretty much the whole time, too," fourth-year College student Conor Manley said. "There were just so many people. It was really nice to be there and see how much of an impact she had on everyone she came into contact with."
Davenport agreed.
"Everywhere she went she made a positive impression," she said. "She would do anything for her friends."
Several of Collier's closest acquaintances knew her from swim teams at Villanova or high school.
"Athletics played a major role in her life," Manley, a close friend to Collier's older brother, said. "She's been swimming since her youth, then continued through high school and college up until the point she couldn't do it anymore because she injured her shoulder."
In memory of their daughter, Collier's parents have started the Michelle Collier Scholarship Fund, to be awarded to a deserving young athlete in Bergen County, N.J.
Collier excelled in the realm of academics as well as athletics.
"She came to school here this year, got an academic schedule that wasn't the best, was working all the time at her job at the Biltmore, but somehow always managed everything very, very well," Manley said. "The last time I talked to her was the Wednesday night before she died, and she was working on this paper that she was going to be up all night for. She was still in a good mood because she just never took things too seriously. I was always impressed by how she handled the challenges of being at a big university."
But time management wasn't Collier's sole specialty.
"One of the things I'm always going to remember about her, something that's totally characteristic of her, is how she always abbreviated her words," Davenport said. "Like 'obvi' for 'obvious.'"
That explains the message that spanned Beta Bridge shortly after Collier passed away: "Michelle Collier 6/11/85- 11/18/05 We'll love you always. Obvi."
That specific verbal tribute was one of many written for Collier; friends from the University and schools across the country have left roughly 100 more on her facebook wall. The wall has served as a way for students to share favorite memories of Collier, reminisce over anecdotes, or simply to express how deeply they miss her.
Collier's closest friends at the University came together the weekend following her death.
"We had all planned to get together for dinner the Friday she died and then have muffins and mimosas before the Virginia Tech game the next morning," Davenport said. "So we went ahead with it because we knew she'd want us to."
A fair assumption, considering Manley's summation of Collier's outlook on life.
"Michelle was always able to deal with anything that came her way, better than anyone else I know," Manley said. "She never let an adverse situation get the best of her. It's what made her so successful a person during her life."
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