As the community — both at an Iowa State and international level — mourns the loss of Iowa State student Celia Barquín Arozamena, her life and legacy will be honored by Cyclones on Saturday.

Originally positioned to be awarded as Iowa State’s Female Athlete of the Year during the home football game, Barquín Arozamena will now be memorialized — the former women’s golf player to be remembered by a stadium clad with yellow as well as football helmets decorated with Barquín Arozamena’s initials. 

“We will honor her with a video tribute and a moment of silence, prior to the marching band playing the national anthem,” Iowa State Athletics Director Jamie Pollard said in a letter to the Iowa State community. “The tribute will take place at approximately 10:50 a.m. We strongly encourage all Cyclone fans to be in their seats by 10:45 a.m. to pay tribute and show her grieving teammates, coaches and friends, what it feels like to be fully embraced by Cyclone Nation.”

What the athletics department is doing to remember and celebrate the life of Barquín Arozamena is not only notable, but crucial — as many students, faculty and staff await answers as to why a life like Barquín Arozamena’s is gone too soon.

It is hard to truly imagine the pain that those close to Barquín Arozamena are experiencing at this time, but it is important for the healing process of the community that Barquín Arozamena is memorialized for her “infectious smile” and outgoing personality that her peers, coaches and professors remember her having, rather than her untimely and tragic death.

But the helmet decals, moment of silence and stadium clad in yellow — Barquín Arozamena’s favorite color — should not be the only memorial hosted by the Iowa State community in remembrance of her life and impact at Iowa State. 

On Tuesday, Barquín Arozamena’s hometown — Puente San Miguel — gathered together to grieve. City officials also declared three days of mourning in the municipality of Reocín, which Puente San Miguel falls under, at a town hall meeting.

“On behalf of the corporation and of all the neighbors of the municipality I want to express our great pain for the tragic loss of Celia Barquín Arozamena,” mayor of Reocín, Pablo Diestro, said. “We send all our love and support to her family and friends in these very hard moments.”

Iowa State students should, too, hold a vigil to honor the life of Barquín Arozamena. In doing so, it will only help bring together a community heartbroken and in mourning of the terrible loss of a life taken far too soon.