Students wrote words of comfort on a banner set up in the University Union todayto remember and honor the life of Sacramento State student Arlene Sasse, who was killed in a bicycle accident Friday morning.

Sasse, 22, asenior psychology major, died early Friday morning after being struck by a car while riding her bike near campus.

The banner in the Union was set up by junior health science major Lucy Clem,who knew Sasse through the Testing Center on campus where Sasse worked as an office assistant.

“When I met her in the Testing Center, she was always helpful. She was above and beyond helpful. If I needed anything, she would always try to find the answer,” Clem said.

Clem said seeing Sasse in the Testing Center always put her at ease.

“She had that great, energetic personality that was magnetic,”she said. “You were happy to go (to the Testing Center) and you were happy that she was there.”

Clem plans to have the banner available for students to sign for the rest of the week. It will be set up in the Library Quad Wednesday. Clem said she will give the banner to Sasse’s parents after more students sign it.

“If it was my sister, I would feel honored that people cared enough about my sister that they would write something to help us heal from the wounds of this,” Clem said.

Chelsea Castillo, sophomore psychology major, signed the banner even though she did not personally know Sasse.

“I just feel for her family and I think they should see something like this,” Castillo said. “I think it’s amazing that people are getting together and actually showing support for her, even though they didn’t know her, like me.”

Castillo said hearing about Sasse’s death made her think about how life can be unpredictable.

“I first heard about it from my stepmom and I just got this horrible feeling in my stomach,” she said.”It’s just amazing to know that you don’t know what’s going to happen each and every day.”

Sasse’s death was especially personal for senior psychology major Tessa Thomas,who planned to graduate along with Sasse in May.

“I just met her in my multicultural psychology class but because of the nature of the course, we shared a lot with each other. I felt like she and I were getting to be good friends,” Thomas said.

Thomas spoke with Sasse a few days prior to her death.

“I just saw her outside of class, we stopped to chat between classes and I just said, you know, “I’ll see you in a couple of days,’ and then I heard that she was killed,” Thomas said.

Thomas said Sasse will be remembered as someone who thought a lot about her place in the world.

“She was wonderfully intelligent,” Thomas said. “She contributed a lot to our discussions in the course. She was a very deep thinker. I will really miss her presence because she had a really strong presence.”

Thomas said she appreciates seeing students signing the banner for Sasse in the Union.

“I think it’s really important for people to have a way to say goodbye to her,” Thomas said.

Clem said the banner was set up with that exact purpose in mind.

“I feel blessed that people care enough to want to honor her because I think all people need to be honored,” Clem said. “Her life was cut short, way too short. Twenty-two years old and graduating in May. It just makes my heart bleed.”

A memorial service for Sasse was held at the Sacramento Memorial Lawn earlier today. Thomas, who attended the service, said the service completely honored Sasse as a person.

“You could tell that her personality really was expressed,” Thomas said. “There were beautiful flower displays there. Her family really did a nice service. She had a lot of friends and family there.”

Inna Gritsak can be reached at [email protected]