Vice President Lombardi offers condolences on death of Lisa Ngunda ’24

March 14, 2022

I am saddened to share the news that Lisa Ngunda ’24, a sophomore in the College of Human Ecology, passed away over the weekend.

Lisa was born in Tanzania, and as a young child moved with her family to Massachusetts. She had a deep interest in health and medicine and volunteered at UMass Memorial HealthAlliance Hospital in Leominster, Mass. At Cornell, she majored in human biology, health and society and had considered pursuing a career in medicine as a physician and neurosurgeon. Lisa also participated in Nigerian Students Association, Caribbean Students’ Association, Pan-African Students Association, Advent Christian Fellowship, Black Bio-medical and Technical Association, and PATCH (Pre-Professional Association Toward Careers in Health). In speaking with her father, he relayed that Lisa had a very kind heart and was always seeking to support others.

Losing a member of our campus community is deeply challenging, and I encourage anyone who may be in need of assistance to use the resources listed below and to connect with friends for support. In addition, a support meeting open to all members of our community will be held on Tuesday, March 15 from 5-6 p.m. in the Music Room in Willard Straight Hall (WSH411).

On behalf of Cornell, I extend my sincere condolences to Lisa’s family and friends. Please keep them in your thoughts as we all struggle to process this loss.

Sincerely,

Ryan Lombardi
Vice President for Student and Campus Life

Community Resources

Individuals can have a diverse range of feelings, needs, and reactions when facing loss. This information about Grief and Loss (pdf) may be helpful to you or a friend. The Ithaca-based Crisisline is available at 607-272-1616. A wide range of supportive resources is also available at mentalhealth.cornell.edu.

Students in need of professional mental health support can call Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 607-255-5155 and employees can call the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) at 607-255-2673.