Tufts freshman Lily Karian was found dead in her Bush Hall dormitory on Dec. 12, 2006.
A medical examiner's report confirmed that suicide was the cause, according to Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman.
"People would always say that Lily could light up a room," her mother, Dr. Melody Craft Karian, told the Daily. "She could make anyone smile and laugh."
Dr. Karian said that her daughter had been battling depression for a few years. "She had been treated intermittently for depression throughout high school," but it become more serious about two and a half years ago, she said. "The diagnosis was presumed to be bipolar disorder."
"However, she had been doing much better for over a year as a result of psychotherapy and medication," she said.
Karian chose to keep the illness private. Though her mother noted some signs of stress around exam time, her death came as a complete surprise to everyone, she said. "She must have been under pain she never told us about," Dr. Karian said.
An e-mail to the Daily from Julie Ross at Tufts Counseling and Mental Health Services (CMHS) reminded students that depression and mental illness are treatable and do not usually result in suicide, and that help coping with loss or other sources of stress is available on campus through the CMHS office.
Karian graduated cum laude from the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in June 2006 with a record marked by enthusiasm and caring.
"She had a vivacity and charisma that was infectious; with her smile and her energy, she made the banal enjoyable," high school friend and Tufts freshman Alex Nisetich said in an e-mail. "When Lily took part in anything, she put her whole soul into it."
"I do want to help people to understand her, and remember her as the wonderful person she was, not as a tragic case or a statistic," Nisetich said.
Karian's intensity was apparent when she and Michael Wright, another student at Lincoln-Sudbury, decided to form a student-run a cappella group, Accent, in their sophomore year, which quickly turned into a well-regarded and competitive program.
"They had to fight for quite awhile to get permission, but finally they were able to do it, and it was really successful," Dr. Karian said.
Her mother said Karian was "instrumental" in recording the group's first CD this summer, and its annual concert this year was dedicated to her.
"Accent has become almost more of a regional group than just a high school group," said Amanda Casale, a Tufts sophomore, who attended high school with Lily and performs in the group. "There are so many alums that still attend and perform in all the concerts."
Karian was also very dedicated to a Methodist Church in her hometown and its youth group, the "God Squad," which led several mission trips to rural South Carolina, the Caribbean island of Dominica and South Dakota's Rosebud Indian reservation, one of the country's poorest areas.
