Samantha Kwek, SCE, dies
A School of Continuing Education student died this weekend.
Samantha Kwek died on Sunday evening, Dean of the SCE Kristine Bilmer wrote in an email to SCE students and faculty.
Kwek hailed from North Port L.I. and was enrolled as a postbaccalaureate student studying quantitative studies for finance, according to Bilmer.
Kwek reportedly jumped to her death on Sunday at 11:40 p.m. from a luxury high-rise in midtown.
Bilmer wrote, “Losing a member of our community to an untimely death is deeply troubling, especially for family and friends. … Know that we are here to support you during this difficult time.”
The memorial service for Samantha Kwek will be held at Nolan & Taylor-Howe Funeral Home on Friday, Feb. 3 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. There will also be services at the same location on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and again from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Students can contact Counseling and Psychological Services at 212-854-2878 or 212-854-9797 and Barnard’s Rosemary Furman Counseling Center at 212-854-2092. Students can also contact Columbia–Barnard Nightline, an anonymous peer counseling hotline, from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. nightly at 212-854-7777; the Center for Student Advising at 212-854-6378; the Office of the University Chaplain at 212-854-1493.
Update: Kwek’s brother wrote in an email to Spec that Kwek’s death has not been ruled a suicide.
She has taken a couple of post bach contining ed courses at Columbia.
I wish the Spectator would respect her privacy and the privacy of her family when considering whether to post this article.
“Samantha Kwek died on Sunday evening, Dean of the SCE Kristine Bilmer wrote in an email to SCE students and faculty.” Not to mention that Spec is far from the only news organization reporting the death. Privacy isn’t at issue here.
Both the NY Post and the NY Daily News had already reported this story. Even if there was a basis to treat the story as private before that happened, that basis had disappeared before the Spec article appeared.
The Post and Daily News wrote quite crass stories about it. The Spec wouldn’t be doing their job as a news source if they didn’t acknowledge that this happened, especially since the administration spoke to the about it.
What should they have done? Censor the news?
if spec couldn’t respect her privacy and the privacy of her family, the least they could do is get their facts straight…
The facts reported in this story are all attributed to the source from whom we received them (Kristine Bilmer, Dean of SCE). However, if you know of something we got wrong, please let us know what it is and we’ll look into it. If you’d rather not post the information here, you can email me at stephen.snowder@columbiaspectator.com. Thanks very much.
looks like the story has been updated…
My condolences to Samantha’s friends and family.
i hope she finds her peace. ):
Condolences to her friends and family.
She was beautiful. I can’t imagine what she was going through.
I went to high school with Sam. Hope she rests peacefully. My condolences to her family.
I went to undergrad with Sam. She was an amazingly strong person and I’m calling foul play on this. She was so commuted to her work and academics that I fully believe that she wouldn’t do something like this. She was fully aware of how much she had going for her. Rest in pease sam