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Thursday, July 30, 2015
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
NEWS
In memory of rising LSA senior, Josh Brigham
University community
mourns loss of
active member
By LARA MOEHLMEN
Summer Managing News Editor
Early Friday morning, the Uni-
versity community lost an active
member: Joshua Brigham, a rising
LSA senior studying psychology.
Brigham,
who
fatally
fell
through the glass roof of Nickels
Arcade, was originally from Sau-
gatuck, Michigan and attended
Hamilton High School where he
was a competitive soccer player.
Brigham’s passion for sports
continued during his time at the
University, where he played intra-
mural basketball and soccer for his
fraternity, Chi Phi.
Known for his outgoing and
personable
charisma,
Brigham
was also social chair of his fra-
ternity for two semesters. In an
e-mail interview with The Michi-
gan Daily, Nathan Shi, a rising LSA
senior who was Brigham’s friend
and fraternity brother, remembers
his ability to make those around
him happy.
“He was the kind of guy that if
you were having an off day, would
come into the room and be so
energetic that you just had to get
up and be energetic too,” Shi said.
“He was always cracking jokes and
trying to lighten the mood. It was
nice, given that college gets pretty
stressful at times. He was always
smiling and trying to make things
positive, even when they seemed
pretty bleak or bland.”
Alec Buchholtz, a rising LSA
senior, said Brigham was his best
friend, recalling his uplifting spir-
it.
“He was one of the best people
to be around and just made every-
one happier — made everyone
laugh. He had this unbeatable
smile that made you smile,” Buch-
holtz said.
Brigham was passionate about
serving others, particularly chil-
dren. For several years, he worked
as a Special Olympics coach with
his father, encouraging children
with disabilities to play sports.
Brigham also participated in child
psychology research at the Uni-
versity and was scheduled to work
this summer at Camp Kesem, a
camp on the University’s campus
dedicated to providing support for
children with parents suffering
from cancer.
Rising LSA senior Brendan May
said Brigham had aspirations of
working with children as a future
career.
“I know he definitely wanted to
work with kids when he graduated
and was older. That was his pas-
sion,” May said.
In a statement released to
media outlets, Laura Blake Jones,
Dean of Students at the University,
expressed
the administration’s
grief and support.
“We are deeply saddened by this
tragic loss. Our condolences go out
to his family and friends,” Blake
said.
The administration has been
reaching out to students, especial-
ly Brigham’s close friends, to make
sure they are aware of the Univer-
sity’s resources, such as Counsel-
ing and Psychological Services.
May said although he and his
friends will grieve this sum-
mer, they will forever remember
Brigham for the positive impact he
made on their lives.
“When we get back to school,
we’re not going to remember Josh
for what happened last Thurs-
day night/Friday morning. We’re
going to remember him for the
lives he’s touched — the hearts he’s
impacted.”
To honor Brigham’s memory,
several community members have
placed flowers and notes on the
floor of Nickels Arcade.
Brigham is survived by parents
Joe Brigham and Michelle Leiter-
man and a younger sister, Sam.
far include presenting a resolution
to request all Ann Arbor streets have
a speed limit of 25 mph and propos-
ing the completion of a Washtenaw
Border-to-Border Trail. Outside of
his involvement with the council,
Anglin serves the Ann Arbor com-
munity by volunteering with orga-
nizations such as Kiwanis, Meals
on Wheels and the Family Learning
Institute.
If re-elected, Anglin looks to pre-
serve the integrity of the city’s neigh-
borhoods, maintain and improve the
city’s vital services and infrastruc-
ture and be an advocate for the city’s
park system.
Anglin is endorsed by the Sierra
Club, Huron Valley Group and the
Michigan Chapter, along with many
Ann Arbor community members —
endorsements that can be found on
his campaign’s webpage. Many of
the people featured on the site said
Anglin has made a great City Coun-
cil member thus far.
“Mike Anglin has been a terrific
Council member,” former council-
member Bob Johnson said. “(He)
has always fought for fiscal sanity
and for a city government that prior-
itizes its resources and expenditures
so that projects that truly benefit the
citizens of Ann Arbor can be imple-
mented. He has worked for better
roads, safer streets and environmen-
tal values.”
Anglin’s
competitor
is
Chip
Smith. Smith has been a city resident
since moving to the Ann Arbor for
graduate school in 1995. For the last
15 years, he has been an urban plan-
ner for Wade Trim Associates, Inc.,
for whom he works on a range of city
issues such as zoning, planning and
the delivery of services.
If he is elected to represent the
fifth ward, Smith hopes to develop
a comprehensive plan for organic
and food waste diversion, encour-
age the growth of green infrastruc-
ture around the city, add improve
all forms of transit, specifically by
implementing a commuter rail line
from Ann Arbor to Detroit.
Smith is one of the three candi-
dates that Mayor Taylor is endors-
ing.
“I’ve known (Chip Smith) for
years,” Taylor said. “He is smart and
thoughtful and engaged and looking
forward to finding the right balance
between the provision of basic ser-
vices and making improvement to
the quality of life.”
AMANDA ALLEN/Daily
Flowers and notes in memory of LSA senior Josh Brigham from local businesses, family and friends line the walls of
Nickels Arcade.
A MEMORIAL
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