OFFICIAL BULLETIN
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Update: July 30, 2011

A wake for Mark Christianson will be held at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, 5472 S. Kimbark Avenue, Chicago, IL 60615 (View map.) from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 5, 2011. Another visitation will be held at St. Thomas on Saturday, Aug. 6 at 10:00 a.m. before the funeral mass, which begins at 11:00 a.m.  There will be a reception in the parish hall immediately following the mass.

As Mark was contemplating working to ensure safe, accessible drinking water for everyone on our planet, in lieu of flowers, please send memorial contributions in Mark's name to Water.org. You can contribute online or send checks to: Water.org, 920 Main St., Suite 1800, Kansas City, MO 64105.

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July 27, 2011, 11:30 p.m.

The Earlham College community was saddened to learn of the deaths of two Earlham students on Wednesday, July 27, 2011, in a traffic accident on Interstate 70 near the Centerville Road exit in Wayne County. Rising seniors Mark Christianson of Chicago, Ill. and Pema Norbu of Dingsi U-kang, Tibet were both killed in the accident. 

According to initial reports published on the Palladium-Item's website, the vehicle carrying the two students was heading eastbound on I-70 at approximately 3:30 p.m. when it crossed the median. Wayne County Sherriff's Department Chief Deputy Mike Frame reported that the car then struck a westbound tractor-trailer head-on.

Vice President and Dean of Student Development Cheryl Presley confirmed the deaths. "We are deeply saddened to learn of this tragedy," she noted. "Tragic losses such as these hit our small, close-knit campus hard. 

“President David Dawson and the entire Earlham community join me in expressing our deepest sympathies as we mourn the loss of these two students. We will provide information when it becomes available for an on-campus memorial observance," said Presley. "We encourage any student, faculty or staff member currently on campus who wishes to talk to them about this tragic event or are in the need of support to contact the Office of Religious Life at 765/983-1413 ."

-EC-