SAIC Saddened by Passing of BFA Student Noah Wilson

Below is an email sent from President Elissa Tenny on August 27, 2020.

Dear SAIC Community,

Tragically, we have lost a member of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) family, Noah Wilson, who passed away last night. This is heartbreaking, and we grieve with Noah's family, classmates, friends, and everyone who knew him.

A sophomore pursuing his BFA, Noah grew up in Chicago taking classes in SAIC's youth programs. He was a gifted artist and academic, having been selected for Chicago's 2018 Rising Star honors. He developed a love for drawing at an early age and contributed work for murals at the Pilsen Library and DuSable Museum of African American History. Noah was also the recipient of the Walter and Shirley Massey Chicago Scholarship. Praised by his faculty for his intelligence, focus, creativity, and ingenuity, his family described him as a loving son and someone who was loved by everyone who met him. He had a passion for animation and music, and he released his first album earlier this year. A resident of the 162 building, Noah was not in quarantine, and his family allowed us to share that his death was not a result of COVID-19.

You may be experiencing many feelings, including grief, confusion, and isolation. Please know you are not alone. The Office of Student Affairs staff are reaching out to members of our community who were known to be close to Noah, and support is available to everyone in the SAIC community.

Students seeking support at any time should contact Counseling Services at 312.499.4271. If you would like to speak with a member of the Student Affairs staff, please contact Campus Security at 312.899.1230 and ask to speak to the dean on call.

Faculty and staff may contact the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) directly at 800.311.4327. EAP counselors will also be available tomorrow from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CT to speak with faculty and staff members online; please email saicinfo@saic.edu if you are interested in making an appointment.

We are in touch with Noah’s family and will be collecting condolences to share with them. If you would like to contribute a message, please email them to Debbie Martin, dean of student life, at dmartin@saic.edu or mail them to:
 
Debbie Martin
SAIC: Office of Student Affairs
36 S Wabash Ave, Ste 1204
Chicago, IL 60603

Know that my thoughts are with you and Noah’s family as we grieve his loss together.

In memoriam,

Elissa Tenny
President