Amadou Thiam ’26
Dear Members of the Skidmore Community,
It is with great sadness that we write to let you know that Amadou Thiam, a member of the Class of 2026, died this past weekend when he drowned while swimming off Jacob Riis Beach in Queens, New York.
Amadou was deeply engaged at Skidmore College and in the local community as a member of the Muslim Student Association (MSA) and the Skidmore Scholars in Science and Math Program (S3M). He was a friend to many, with an infectious optimism that uplifted those around him. The tragic end of his too-short life – a life filled with joy and promise – not only leaves us shocked and saddened, but also leaves a void within our Skidmore community.
We are in contact with Amadou’s family to offer any support we can provide. Support is also available to all members of our Skidmore community, even though many of us are away from campus this summer. If you are struggling with this news, please reach out for assistance.
Skidmore’s Counseling Center is available for any students who are currently on campus and need support, as well as for students away from campus who want help accessing resources in their current location. Students can also access free teletherapy from anywhere in the United States through Skidmore’s teletherapy service BetterMynd. On-call emergency services are available after hours by calling the Counseling Center at 518-580-5555 and following the prompts for immediate assistance.
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers 24/7 crisis counseling for faculty and staff. This EAP service can be reached by calling 518-793-9768 or 800-734-6072.
For those of you on campus today, staff from the Counseling Center and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life will be available in the Wyckoff Center between 3:30 and 5 p.m. Students who are looking for additional opportunities to gather online or on campus in the coming weeks can reach out to the Dean of Students Office for assistance as well.
There will also be time for us to come together in the fall to remember Amadou’s life. We will share those details in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, please hold Amadou’s family and friends in your thoughts and take care of yourselves. This is a day of great sorrow for our entire campus. Even in our grief, we hope our community can find some comfort in memories of Amadou, the vitality he brought to our campus, and his positive impact on everyone he encountered.
Sincerely,
Marc C. Conner
President
Adrian Bautista
Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs