Southern mourns tragic loss of student

Brittany Galla
News Editor

She was a dedicated student, an aspiring teacher and now, Southern students and faculty are mourning her loss.

Twenty-three year old Jennifer McLeod, of Seymour, was killed in a four-car accident on Route 8 in Seymour on Friday, April 20. McLeod, who also had a twin sister, was a junior education major at Southern.

Education Professor Nancy Marano taught McLeod in a children’s literature and literacy class.

“She was a model for our students here,” she said. “She was always on time, always was in class and did her work consistently.”

Education Professor Kay Corbett had McLeod as a student this semester in a Child Development class.

“She was very quiet, and very conscientious,” Corbett said. “She was always able to relate what she was doing with the children in the field to what she was learning in class.”

McLeod was doing her education fieldwork at Anna LoPresti and Bungay elementary schools in Seymour, and worked as a cook at the Harborside Healthcare-Willows nursing home in Woodbridge. 

McLeod was sitting in the front passenger seat of her friend’s car. Von Moody, the driver and car owner, was unable to stop, as cars ahead of him stopped for heavy traffic, according to state police.

McLeod was pronounced dead at the scene. Three other passengers in Moody’s car, 22-year old Casey Fredericks, 22-year old Kristen Jefferson and 22-year old Monica Smith were taken to hospitals with minor injuries.

The Southern community had a memorial service on campus to honor McLeod on Friday, April 27. Newly elected Student Government President Melvin Saunders said the event brought everyone together to remember a fellow student. McLeod’s mother and family members were also present at the memorial, which took place a day after her funeral.

“I was extremely happy to see that we were able to come together as students, faculty, and staff to help in the grieving process of Jennifer McLeod’s family and friends,” he said. “It’s important that we show our respect and that our hearts will be with her and her family.”

Maria Diamantis, chairperson of the education department, said she attended the Southern memorial service for McLeod and was able to see the type of person McLeod was.

“Her professors spoke very highly of her,” she said. “She was dedicated, great, and had a promising future as a teacher.”

Diamantis also attended her funeral and saw how many people McLeod touched in her life.

“All ages were there, the priest was very emotional because she touched so many lives,” Diamantis said.

Marano recalled how she and McLeod had an on-going e-mail relationship outside of the class to go over written assignments.

“She was quiet, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t an engaged student,” she said. “She was persistent. She was a really dedicated student who was dedicated to becoming a teacher.”

Marano and Corbett both spoke highly of McLeod’s work habits and the type of student she was.

“I was impressed when I saw that she was taking four education classes this semester—that’s a lot,” Marano said. “Two of her classes required fieldwork, one was a “W” course, and the fourth was also writing intensive and will be a “W” course next fall. She was doing a lot.”

The education department has started to collect money donations for a scholarship that has been set up in McLeod’s name. Diamantis said the department had already raised over $200. Memorial contributions can be made to the Jennifer McLeod Scholarship Fund for aspiring teachers and sent to Webster Bank, 15 New Haven Road, Seymour.

Comments

[Megan]

i love you jen and miss you so much! that was a beautiful article and brought a tear to my eye. i love you!