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St. Cloud State University
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Uncertainty rules
By Carol Seavey
Published:
Monday, November 25, 2002
Media Credit: Jason Risberg
St. John’s University student Josh Guimond has been missing since Nov. 9. Flyers like this one have been posted on campus to increase student awareness.
Although things are calming down after the disappearances of four college-age adults in the last month, SCSU students continue to be cautious.
“It’s kind of freaky,” said Laura Sills, a first-year student. “I get home at 10 p.m. and park in Q-Lot. I’ll wait in my car until the shuttle comes.”
Erika Marie Dalquist, 21, has been missing from Brainerd since Oct. 30. Christopher Jenkins, 21, a University of Minnesota student, disappeared Oct. 31. Michael Noll, 20, is missing from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He was last seen Nov. 6. Josh Guimond, 20, disappeared from St. John’s University Nov. 9.
As of Sunday night, none had been found.
All disappeared after being at bars or parties late at night. However, authorities don’t think the disappearances are related.
“Let’s hope they’re not connected,” said Nathan Church, vice president for Student Life and Development. “Let’s hope that it’s a set of coincidences.”
SCSU’s Public Safety Department posted safety alerts around campus and on all HuskyNet e-mail accounts as well.
“It’s just a reminder for students to stay aware of their surroundings,” said Miles Heckendorn, director of PSD.
The safety alert urged students to always walk in groups and drink responsibly.
“To an extent, this risk is always there,” Church said. “The riskiest thing students can do is drink to a point of not taking care of their own safety and well-being.”
Church said that he hasn’t received many calls from concerned parents.
“My parents were more concerned than me,” said Christine Zierke, a first-year student majoring in elementary education. “They’re the ones that warned me.”
Even though she works just a block from campus, Zierke always has someone drive or walk her home.
Sophomore Jeffrey Berger said his parents were also more concerned than he was. Last time Berger spoke to his father he jokingly told him, “Don’t go get snatched now.”
Things aren’t as light-hearted at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University.
“I always felt really safe here and now I think twice,” said Angie Sarne, CSB senior.
After an extensive search and investigation by the Stearns County Sheriff and the FBI, CSB/SJU campuses were left without answers.
“I think things are back to normal,” Sarne said, “but everyone’s still thinking about it.”
Sarne noticed that people tend to pause and stare down at Stumpf Lake, which is adjacent to the SJU campus. Police dogs led investigators to Guimond’s scent at the edge of the lake, but divers turned up no clues.
Students at CSB/SJU volunteered to help search for Guimond over the last two weeks. They also started a yellow-ribbon campaign for him.
Although CSB/SJU is not far from SCSU, the response from SCSU students hasn’t been nearly as strong.
“I think people don’t know what to do,” said senior Coral Jentc, a community development major. “You don’t raise money for something like that.”
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