Seven current and incoming ISU students lost their lives this summer.

Unfortunately, that number is average, according to the Dean of Students Office.

ISU Dean of Students Pete Englin said the university goes through a process after notification of a student death.

“When we’re notified of a student death, we do an internal verification to verify it’s true, then we’ll work with law enforcement to again verify it’s true,” he said. “Then it becomes a very personal interaction with the parents, family and friends.”

Englin said when a student dies, a representative from Iowa State will try to attend the student’s visitation or funeral service.

“If the funeral is in reasonable proximity to Ames, it’s rare that there isn’t any representation from Iowa State or Memorial Service,” he said. “We certainly want to express our sorrow and extend a personal touch.”

Englin called accidents “the number one killer nationally” and the seven deaths that occurred over the summer are “unfortunately typical.

“Typically, August tends to be our highest month [of accidents],” he said. “A lot of students are in transition and they sometimes result in an accident.

“[Other common times accidents occur] tend to be late summer, semester break and spring break, where a lot of students are on the road.”

Englin said the death of a student is “the most challenging part of [his] role as the dean of students because it’s typically not time.”

Vice President for Student Affairs Thomas Hill said the administration will typically handle a student death on a case by case basis.

“The dean of students will take the point and let the rest of us know how we can assist,” he said. “There’s no set way. A lot of situations are different.”

Hill said many students die as a result of an accident and added many times alcohol can be a causal relation in the cause of a student death.

“If you’ve ever had to deal with [an alcohol-related student death], it’s something you never want to deal with again,” he said.

Hill agreed with Englin that losing a student is the hardest part about his job.

“It’s absolutely the toughest thing,” he said. “I don’t think anything comes close to that.”

Marty Martinez, psychologist for the student counseling service, said his staff offers three types of immediate interventions for those dealing with the loss of a loved one.

“We always have counselors who are on call, and people can come in right away if they are struggling with hurt, anger or uncertainty,” he said. “Second, people can come in for more than one session, and third is group counseling, which can be very helpful for students because it allows them to share their feelings with other students, which allows them to gain insight while also developing a support system to the point where they can actually look forward to coming to the group.”

Martinez said counseling can be a “safe haven” for those dealing with grief.

“Counseling can be helpful in just allowing students a safe place to think and feel out loud with someone who can be objective and helpful,” he said.

Martinez said the death of a student can serve as a reminder to all.

“It’s a reminder to stay connected with people, [such as] roommates on your floor, student activities, athletic events and church groups,” he said.

The student counseling service center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is located on the third floor of the student services building.