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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.

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