“Our campus community is deeply saddened by this tragic news,” said Adam Cantley, dean of students. “We extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends and classmates. Ms. Chen, who went by the name of Kyla, was well regarded for her inquisitive and caring nature. This loss diminishes us all.”

Recalling Ms. Chen, Lauren Genova, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, said, “As an instructor I try my best to share the philosophy of any parent, coach or manager: to not choose favorites. But, it is impossible for Kyla to not be among my most treasured students to date. Her unbridled curiosity and zest for learning were equal parts inspiring and invigorating. Her light will continue to shine bright through the lives of all she has touched, and I will  be forever grateful for crossing paths with such a special soul.”

A promising student

Karen Asenavage, associate director and director of academic programs at the English Language Institute, wrote the following tribute to Ms. Chen.

The city of Hefei in Anhui province in China has long been recognized as a city of rich historical, political, economic and architectural and cultural heritage in southeastern China. It was in this city steeped in rich and stimulating life experiences that freshman Junyi Chen was born.

Her mother, pediatrician Dr. Jinlan Wu, recognized quite early her only child’s characteristic unique intelligence and varied interests in the natural world and people. Ms. Chen always demonstrated inquisitiveness, kindness to people and animals, care for the environment and exploring the world. Growing up she traveled to England, Indonesia and Germany. Dr. Wu says, ”She was a perfect child.”

Her mother tells the story of them leaving a hot pot restaurant with leftover food. Ms. Chen noticed a woman scavenging in trash cans. To respect the woman, Ms. Chen asked if the woman could do her a favor and take the leftover food. These same characteristics highlighted Ms. Chen’s time at the University of Delaware.

Ms. Chen fiercely loved her home country of China and, although she had been accepted at four high quality universities, she chose to travel again, this time to the United States. She arrived at the University of Delaware in fall 2021. Her mother says she chose UD because she loved the small-town atmosphere of Newark and the close proximity of nature. Ms. Chen began in the English Language Institute’s Academic Transitions (AT) Pathways program where she excelled in English, math and a variety of breadth courses. As many Chinese students do, she chose a name, Kyla, as her English name. It’s meaning -- beautiful, full of life, uplifting, inspiring and charming  - coupled with the meaning of her Chinese name --  meaning even and uniform -- describe her well.

Ms. Chen matriculated as a promising student full of life and hope from the AT program with a GPA of 3.83 to start UD in fall 2022.

ELI faculty member Scott Partridge remembers her as “…one of the most pleasantly inquisitive students I have ever taught; she never failed to have a focused, challenging query about a reading no matter how dense, dry or dull the text in question had proven.”

Other faculty and staff members echo these thoughts. Art history faculty member Emily Shartrand remembers how Ms. Chen always seemed genuinely engaged and how inquisitive she was. “She wouldn't hesitate to jump in and ask questions, which would ultimately allow me to deepen our discussion of both art and religion. That sort of curious and active mind is always appreciated in a student, especially when there is often apathy for the humanities as simply a credit to be fulfilled.”

Jill McCracken, one of her ELI tutors explains, “She not only possessed a sharp intelligence but was decidedly the most intellectually curious person I've ever encountered. She had to know the detailed hows and whys of any new constructs she experienced … the questions came fast and furiously, and the answers were as quickly devoured.”

Math faculty member Paul Canepa remembers, “She was a very responsible student who studied a lot and frequently had advanced questions to ask me. Many of the other students just wanted to get through math class as fast as possible and go home, but Kyla really wanted to learn concepts and the reasoning behind them.  She was one of the most diligent students I’ve ever had the privilege of teaching.”

Partridge also discovered her interest in animals and life sciences. “In our discussions she would tell me about her adventures following a fox, beaver and deer through the brambles behind her apartment.” In class, he said, “She had a way of interacting with her fellow students that was memorable and endearing with her unconventional viewpoints. She made classroom discussions wondrously invigorating, repeatedly bringing a smile to our faces.”

She was also extremely interested in community involvement on campus and actively participated. ELI faculty Leslie Connery recounted, “In addition to discussing course content, we would talk about ELI activities and involvement with the larger UD community … We would spend time discussing contents ranging from the Common Reader to nail polish. All of our interactions ended with smiles and happy laughter.”