Students and faculty gathered Monday evening to remember Victoria Archangel, the Business College adviser who died in a car accident two weeks ago.
 
Ashley Junek, E.J. Ourso College of Business assistant dean for academic programs, said the memorial service was an informal gathering to accommodate students,
faculty and staff who couldn’t attend the funeral services in Monroe two weeks ago.
 
Business College faculty members passed out blank notebooks for attendees to sign their names and write down memories of Archangel to be given to her family.
 
Andrea Houston, ISDS associate professor, said the number of people in attendance was a testament to the impact Archangel had on the University.
 
“It’s clear that she was special,” she said.
 
Houston said students often continued seeing Archangel for advising after their freshman year
because they felt they had a connection with her.
 
“She was always working hard to make LSU a better place,” Houston said. “I think it’s important for all of us to try to be the person she wanted us to be.”
 
Business College Dean Eli Jones spoke at the memorial and said what he remembers most about Archangel is her smile and laugh.
“I’ll be honest,” Jones said. “I keep hearing her laugh in my head.”
 
Jones said he was hoping students would come forward and speak about their former adviser and
teacher — and several did.
 
Nick Hyde, accounting sophomore, said he worked with Archangel closely because he’s a residential adviser in the Business Residential College. He said he attended the memorial because he felt he owed it to Archangel.
 
“She would have done the same for me,” he said.
 
Amber Guillory, finance junior, said she was personally affected by Archangel’s death.
 
“She was someone who was always there for me,” Guillory said. “She was a big source of encouragement.”
 
And Junek said she was shocked when she heard of Archangel’s passing.
 
“She was a joy to work with,” Junek said. “I’m still trying to get a grip on the fact that she’s not here anymore.”
 
She said Archangel was driven and passionate about improving the University and helping its students.
 
“She was tough in her class,” Junek said. “But she knew if she pushed them, they could accomplish their goals.”
 
Anne-Marie Fontenot, management junior and president of the Business College Council, said council members collected donations for the scholarship they plan to create in Archangel’s name.
 
“We got quite a few [donations],” Fontenot said.
 
Fontenot said Archangel was passionate about promoting diversity, so council members want to use the scholarship to continue in her efforts.
 
Junek said the scholarship will be awarded next year, and the amount of money collected will determine how many will be offered and for how long.
 
Junek said Archangel was teaching two sections of business administration 1000 this semester, and Business College administrators were worried about the effect the loss would have on her students.
 
“Our No. 1 concern was the students,” Junek said.
 
Junek said employees of the Mental Health Center visited Archangel’s classes to speak with her students about loss and grief.
 
Junek said students were encouraged to visit the Health Center for immediate grief counseling if they felt they needed it.
“We wanted to make sure anyone in crisis gets the help they need,” she said.
 
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Contact Rachel Warren at
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