Bereavement Support for Students

Support for Grieving Willamette Students

Grieving the death of someone close to you while you're in college can be difficult, but you're not alone—about one in four students face this experience each year. School might feel overwhelming while you're trying to process your grief, or it might actually provide some comfort through its familiar routines and connections with others. Whether you're finding it hard to concentrate on assignments, struggling to keep up with coursework, or discovering that staying busy with school helps you cope, know that there is no one right way to grieve. There are also resources and support available to help you navigate both your grief and your academic responsibilities in whatever way feels right for you.

Social support is often helpful in grief.

• Willamette offers Diversity of Loss, an arts-based grief support group; you can learn more about the group by emailing the organizer, Associate Professor Maegan Parker Brooks (mpbrooks@willamette.edu)
• Willamette also provides both in-person counseling as well as remote support through the Bishop Wellness Center.
• Outside of the Willamette community, there are a range of in-person and online grief groups you could join. 

Honoring the person who died is often helpful in grief.

• In many cultures, families of origin, chosen families, and religious traditions, end of life rituals provide a great source of comfort and connection. Here are some ideas for celebrating your person’s life.
• If you are worried about missing class to travel to and attend a funeral ceremony, talk with your academic advisor and professors.
• While Willamette does not have a formal bereavement policy for students, it is reasonable to request several days away as an excused absence after the death of a close family member or friend to attend an end of life celebration or funeral ceremony.

It might be helpful to lighten your academic load.

Grief can affect cognitive processing, energy levels, as well as written and oral communication. In light of this, you might find your course load too demanding following the death of a close family member or friend. You have several options to lighten your load, including:

• If the death occurs before the add/drop period (within the first 12 calendar days of the semester), you might consider dropping a 4-credit course and making up these credits over the course of several semesters through 1-2 credit courses. Here’s a link to Willamette’s Add, Drop, and Withdrawal policy.
• If the death occurs prior to the due date for designating a course Credit/NoCredit (30 days after the first day of classes), you might opt to take one or more of your courses Credit/No Credit (up to 12 credits total may be taken CR/NC). Taking a class CR/NC means that you will receive credit for a passing grade (an A through a C-) but that the course taken CR/NC will not impact your GPA. See full policy and form here.
• If the death occurs prior to the due date for Withdrawal (date varies by college, consult the Academic Calendar for specific deadline), you might opt to withdraw from a class or two for this semester. Here’s a link to Willamette’s Add, Drop, and Withdrawal policy.
• If the death occurs after the due date for Withdrawal, you could petition for an emergency circumstance. See “Emergency Circumstances” section of the Withdrawal policy.
• If you have considered the options above and are still feeling unable to complete this term, you could also take a Leave of Absence and return to the university to complete your degree after a semester or two away. Here’s the policy and procedure for taking a leave of absence.
• If you need support navigating your options, you could:
  • Reach out to your academic advisor
  • Reach out to Willamette’s Director of Academic Support, Aspen Padilla (apadilla2@willamette.edu)
  • Reach out to Willamette’s Director of the Advising Program, Jessica Cardinal-Lanier (jcardinallanier@willamette.edu)

• Here is a useful website,Resources for Grieving a Disability, created by Willamette Student, Caya Erickson. It provides disability-specific resources and insight as well as generally helpful information for grief processing and support.
  
  
• Here are a few additional “Tips for Grieving College Students and Young Adults” from the book Servaty-Seib, H. L., & Fajgenbaum, D. C. (2015). We get it: Voices of grieving college students and young adults. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Online access to the full text of this book is available by logging into the Hatfield Library.
  
  
• If you are supporting a bereaved student, here are“Tips for Supporting Grieving College Students and Young Adults”from the book Servaty-Seib, H. L., & Fajgenbaum, D. C. (2015).We get it: Voices of grieving college students and young adults. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.Online access to the full text of this book is available by logging into the Hatfield Library.