COLUMBIA, S.C. — Students and faculty at Columbia International University (CIU) are in mourning as a student was struck and killed while walking through campus on Thursday.
It's a heartbreaking start to the semester for CIU student Hannah Place. She and her friend Olivia Humphrey recall hearing the news about a fellow student dying early Thursday morning.
"We immediately stopped and started praying," Humphrey says.
According to information from the Columbia Police Department, a male driver struck a female pedestrian as she walked to class causing her to fall to the ground, she was taken to a local hospital and pronounced deceased. That student was later identified as graduate counseling student, Patricia Wolfe.
We spoke with CIU consoling professor Seth Scott who says his day was spent talking with students.
The news comes just months after the passing of CIU Athletic Director Darren Richie. Scott says faith in God is getting the campus through the tragedies.
"As an institution, we have an anchor in our faith. 1 Thessalonians says, 'While we grieve, we do not grieve like those who have no hope. In times of loss, in times of struggle, we look to someone like Darren, who loved Jesus heartily," he adds, "So we actually have the capacity to, while we grieve that loss of connection, we celebrate, the evidence of God's love through the people that we lose."
Humphrey she says, she's hoping the story can shed light on the strength of CIU students because of their faith.
"Obviously everything can fade away. In any moment your life can be taken. In any moment crisis can be struck, but I have a peace that surpasses all understanding through faith in Jesus Christ, and that's available for everyone," she explains.
Place says she's spending the day praying and looking to God for guidance.
"He's still sovereign, and he's still good and faithful even in tragedy, and we don't always know why this happens, but we can trust Him," she says.
The school tells us they don't have firm plans yet for a memorial service.