From: UConn Honors Program current students <HONSS-L@LISTSERV.UCONN.EDU> on behalf of SEP - Honors Program <honors@UCONN.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2026 10:23 AM
To: HONSS-L@LISTSERV.UCONN.EDU <HONSS-L@LISTSERV.UCONN.EDU>
Subject: Message from Dr. Lease Butts
Dear Honors students,
I'm writing to share the profoundly sad news that a member of our Honors student community passed away on Sunday, March 29, 2026. Emmanuel Osei Frimpong was a first-year student from East Hartford, CT studying Mechanical Engineering. In addition to Honors, Emmanual was active in the CAPS program, a member of the African Students Association, the National Society of Black Engineers, and ModelVerse.
Yesterday I worked with my colleagues in the Dean of Students office, SHaW, and Residential Life to connect with the family and friends on campus closest to Emmanuel as well as the floors in Buckley hall where he lived. The Dean of Students office also reached out to his parents and family to ensure that we knew their wishes and respected those as we honor Emmanuel's memory and the contributions he made to our community. Since our focus is on Emmanuel's family's wishes, we will follow their lead in terms of information that the university will share.
I want you to know that the Honors team is here for you. You can always reach out to us in person, via email, or make appointments through Nexus to connect with a member of our professional staff or our GPS student staff. Our job is to support you and advocate for you, and I hope you will come to us with your questions and concerns anytime.
We also are grateful for the help of our professional colleagues on campus, and I encourage you to use these resources at any point that you need them. The QR code on the back of your student ID can link you directly to help. The following are also resources that I want to remind you about:
Student Health & Wellness Mental Health Services (SHaW):
Located on the 4th floor of Arjona, SHaW is available to students who may be seeking additional support. There are several ways students can connect with SHaW:
- To make an appointment with SHaW-Mental Health call 860-486-4700 (press 1 then press 2) or schedule a screening online.
- If you need help more immediately, BeWell can be accessed for free and confidential mental health support 24/7/365 by calling 833-308-3040 (US, Canada & the Caribbean) or 1-984-268-2016 (all other international locations).
Let’s Talk Mental Health Office Hours is a drop-in service available to students. Visit here for dates, times, and locations:
Let's Talk | Student Health and Wellness (uconn.edu). This is not therapy, but it is a place to go and talk about your feelings, your concerns, your fears, and your struggles with professionals.
- Information about managing grief is located on the SHaW-Mental Health website
- The Growth Through Grief support group is held Monday’s from 4:00-5:00 in Arjona on the 4th floor.
The Dean of Students Office:
The staff in the Dean of Students in suite 102, Wilbur Cross are available to help students navigate this difficult time. Students can stop by during drop-in hours, no appointment needed at that time or they may call 860-486-3426 to request a meeting with an Assistant Dean.
Regional Campus Help:
Students at a regional campus needing support should reach out to SHaW or the Student Services staff on their home campus.
Residential Life and Campus Housing:
If you're living on campus, your Honors RAs, Hall Directors, and other residential life staff are a strong resource for you. They can also help connect you to other resources on campus.
My thoughts right now are centered on Emmanuel's family and friends, and I'm sure you feel the same. It's hard to know what you can do to help or support them in moments like these, but I encourage you to write a note to his family. You can share a memory of Emmanuel or a funny story or simply express your sadness and wishes for them to find peace in the midst of their grief. I assure you that these notes will be meaningful to them. Anything you'd like to share can be emailed to the Dean of Students office (
dos@uconn.edu), dropped off at their office at Wilbur Cross, or mailed to them at their address:
Dean of Students Office
233 Glenbrook Road, Unit-4062
Storrs, CT 06269-4062.
At this time, service information is not available. The Dean of Students office will update the UConn community about this information should it be made available.
Please take care of yourself and each other. Remember there are many people on campus who care deeply about each and every one of you.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jennifer Lease Butts
Jennifer Lease Butts, Ph.D.
Associate Vice Provost for Enrichment Programs and Director, Honors Program
University of Connecticut
Jennifer.Lease@uconn.edu
She|Her|Hers
John W. Rowe Center for Undergraduate Education (CUE), Room 419
368 Fairfield Way, Unit 4147
Storrs, CT 06269-4147
(P) 860-486-4223
(F) 860-486-0222
www.enrichment.uconn.edu
For more information, contact: Honors Program Staff at honors@uconn.edu