Zimmermann vigil planned for Sunday, April 6

UPDATED:
2:45 p.m., Thursday, April 3

Brittany Sue Zimmermann, a University of Wisconsin–Madison senior from
Marshfield who was found slain in her downtown apartment Wednesday, is
fondly remembered as a driven student on the path to a bright career in
health care.

A memorial vigil for Zimmermann has been scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on
Sunday, April 6 on Library Mall. Student representatives from
Associated Students of Madison, the Wisconsin Union Directorate and the
Union Council will lead the ceremony, along with UW–Madison Dean of
Students Lori Berquam.

The event will provide music and an opportunity for students to send
a condolence message to Brittany’s family. The rain location will be
Great Hall in Memorial Union.

Zimmermann was a third-year senior in the medical microbiology and
immunology department, planning to graduate in Spring 2009. After
graduation, according to her personal Web page, she planned to get a
master’s degree in public health and a doctorate in infectious disease.
She was on the Dean’s List in fall 2005 and spring 2006.

Zimmermann worked for the UW–Madison registrar’s office
for the past three years as a part-time student employee in its imaging
division. Registrar Joanne Berg says she was a bright, engaging
student.

She was one of the first students hired in the imaging area, Berg
says, and was instrumental in organizing the work done by other student
workers. The area she worked in scans and indexes documents for later
retrieval.

"She was doing a job that some may describe as fairly routine —
sitting in a room and processing paper," says Berg. "She always made
the best of it. She came to work with a smile on her face, she enjoyed
her co-workers and was enthusiastic about work and about her future.

"The mood here is very sober," adds Berg. "Everyone is in kind of in shock. There is a lot of angst and concern."

Berg notes that Zimmermann took the past semester off to concentrate
on her studies, "because she wanted to get into med school or grad
school. But she continued to come around and stay in contact. This is
such a tragedy."

Staff from Zimmermann’s home department added that Zimmermann had a
strong academic record in a very rigorous and competitive major, which
focuses on infectious diseases and health.

UPDATED: 7:10 p.m., Wednesday, April 2 

Statement by Dean of Students Lori Berquam on Brittany Sue Zimmermann:

"The University of Wisconsin–Madison community is grieving over the tragic death of one of our own, Brittany Sue Zimmermann.

I want to send my thoughts and sympathy to Brittany’s family, friends and co-workers.

From everything I have learned about her today, she was an engaged and active student, and a dedicated student employee of the Registrar’s Office.

An event like this is extremely unsettling, and I share the frustration, sadness and shock of our students, faculty, staff, parents and alumni. This will be a difficult time, but I can tell you that we will come together in support of each other and continue working to make our campus as safe as possible.

I want to continue to urge members of the campus community to take advantage of the safety resources we have available, including SAFEwalk and SAFEride programs, University Health Services Counseling and Consultation Services‘ 24-hour crisis line, and the Employee Assistance Office.

Lastly, we will do everything we can to assist this investigation. I urge anyone with information about this case to please call Crime Stoppers at (608) 266-6014."

UPDATED: 5:50 p.m., Wednesday, April 2

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Police Department is adding extra patrols and asking for vigilance in the wake of the death of a young woman in the 500 block of West Doty Street in downtown Madison.

The Madison Police Department is investigating the death and identifying the victim as a UW–Madison student.

Dean of Students Lori Berquam is urging all students to pay close attention to personal safety.

All evening events and classes are continuing as scheduled. However, members of the campus community are urged to walk in groups or take advantage of SAFEwalk and SAFEride programs available on campus. Call (608) 262-5000 for detailed information.

The Madison Police Department is continuing to update local media with the latest details.

If you are a student interested in crisis support as a result of this, or any other situation, call University Health Services Counseling and Consultation Services’ 24-hour crisis line, (608) 265-5600, or the Offices of the Dean of Students, (608) 263-5700.

If you are a faculty or staff member in need of counseling, the Employee Assistance Office can be reached at (608) 263-2987.

If you have any information about this case, please call Crime Stoppers at (608) 266-6014.

Additional safety tips include:

• Carry a cell phone and dial 911 for help.
• Walk with a friend whenever possible.
• Lock your doors at all times, even if you are awake.
• Never let anyone you don’t know into your building.
• Report any crime or suspicion of a crime immediately, starting with your location. If police are contacted within the first five minutes, they have a better chance of finding a suspect.
• Take advantage of UW–Madison SAFEwalk and SAFEride programs available on campus. Call (608) 262-5000 for detailed information.
• Keep your head up. Do not look down or away. Make brief eye contact with all people you meet.
• Use public walkways and avoid isolated shortcuts where you have limited escape routes.
• Be aware of places along your path of travel that could conceal a criminal (shrubbery, building recesses, etc.). Avoid or keep a distance from these areas whenever possible.
• Make sure someone knows when you leave and when to expect you back.
• If you think someone is following you, cross the street. Head for a well-populated and well-lit area at night.

FIRST UPDATE: 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 2  

UW-Madison Dean of Students Lori Berquam is urging students to pay close attention to personal safety, especially in the wake of an incident that took place Wednesday afternoon on Doty Street.

However, Berquam is encouraging students to use extra caution downtown and follow the guidelines below. They include:

• Carry a cell phone and dial 911 for help.
• Walk with a friend whenever possible.
• Lock your doors at all times, even if you are awake.
• Never let anyone you don’t know into your building.
• If you intend to consume alcohol, do so in moderation to avoid putting yourself in a position of increased risk.
• Report any crime or suspicion of a crime immediately, starting with your location. If police are contacted within the first five minutes, they have a better chance of finding a suspect.
• Take advantage of UW–Madison SAFEwalk and SAFEride programs available on campus. Call (608) 262-5000 for detailed information.
• Keep your head up. Do not look down or away. Make brief eye contact with all people you meet.
• Use public walkways and avoid isolated shortcuts where you have limited escape routes.
• Be aware of places along your path of travel that could conceal a criminal (shrubbery, building recesses, etc.). Avoid or keep a distance from these areas whenever possible.
• Make sure someone knows when you leave and when to expect you back.
• If you think someone is following you, cross the street. Head for a well-populated and well-lit area at night.