The message below was sent to the students, faculty, and staff of the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research on Friday, July 26, 2024.
Dear GSSWSR Community,
It is with great sadness that I write to inform you of the death earlier this week of one of our community members, Rebecca (Becca) Kruger, a master’s candidate in Social Service. Becca joined the GSSWSR in August 2023, and our faculty members describe her as an engaging student and as a thoughtful, empathic, and insightful person. I knew her to be a kindhearted, enthusiastic and deeply committed person, whose care for and desire to uplift others made her a true asset to our school and to the profession of social work.
As she was pursuing her undergraduate degree in English from Temple University’s Honor’s College, Becca developed an interest in mental health advocacy. Even before starting the MSS program at the GSSWSR, Becca was engaged with community-based work. She helped to staff the crisis hotline for Women Organized Against Rape (WOAR) and became a Certified Peer Specialist in a program with the Pennsylvania Department of Behavioral Health. Becca was passionate about social justice issues and aspired to become a clinical social worker focused on mental health advocacy.
The loss of a community member affects us all and can be difficult to process. I encourage you to take time to connect with friends and family, with GSSWSR faculty and staff, or to use the college’s support resources listed below.
Our Bryn Mawr counseling team will hold a virtual community grief support space on Monday, July 29th at 4:30-5:30 p.m. If you would like to attend, please connect with Dr. Luci MacNamara, Director of Bryn Mawr College Counseling Services, at lmacnamara@brynmawr.edu to participate and/or if you need individual support.
An in-person community grief support space will be offered on Tuesday, August 6th at 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. in GSSWSR room 103. All are welcome to join both support spaces.
Additionally, Rabbi Nora Woods, our Interfaith Chaplain, is available to offer grief support and can be reached at nwoods@brynmawr.edu if you would like to schedule an appointment to meet for support.
As always, please remember that free support via telephone, video, or chat is also available for all currently enrolled BMC students on or off campus through TELUS Health. Full-time and part-time employees may contact the Employee Assistance Program.
Rebecca’s family has kindly shared information about services that will be held on Monday, July 29th at 11 a.m. at Goldsteins, 6410 N. Broad Street in Philadelphia.
On behalf of the GSSWSR community, I extend our sincere condolences to Becca’s family and friends. Please join me in keeping them in your thoughts during this difficult time.
Sincerely,
Janet Shapiro (she/her pronouns), MA, MSW, PhD
Dean and Mary Hale Chase Professor in the Social Sciences, Social Work and Social Research
Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research