It is with great sadness that Valdosta State says good-bye to fellow Blazer Jasmine Benjamin.

A candlelight vigil ceremony for Jasmine will be at 6 p.m. on Saturday on the steps of Georgia Hall. Attendees are encouraged to wear purple–Jasmine’s favorite color. Any questions, concerns, or suggestions in regards to the planning of the vigil can be directed to William Jimerson, or Amber Worthy, SGA vice president at asworthy@valdosta.edu .

Born Dec. 1, 1994, Jasmine attended Central Gwinnett High School in Lawrenceville, Ga.  She was the daughter of Judith Brogdon and step-father James Jackson. She has two sisters.

She entered VSU in August 2012 as a freshman to study nursing. At Central Gwinnett High, Jasmine was a DECA student, and planned to follow in her mother’s footsteps in becoming a nurse.

Friends close to Jasmine described her as fun and full of life.

Jazmin Young, a freshman art education major and friend of Jasmine Benjamin, remembers the fun times she had with Jasmine.

“She was real excitable, so she liked a lot of things- or at least trying a lot of things,” Young said.

Just like any other college student Jasmine liked to have fun.

“She definitely liked to play games- board games a lot,” Young said. “We just liked to go places honestly. A lot of weekends, we would just walk around.”

Kimberlen Kelley, a freshman computer science major, agrees with Young about Jasmine’s fun personality.

“I know she is looking down on us still laughing at our jokes and funny moments….she was such an amazing person to be friends with and I’m still in shock that she is gone,” Kelley said.

Family, friends and VSU students alike have been affected by her passing.  To offer support and comfort in this time of need, the resident assistants of Geor-

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-gia Hall will come together to hold a candlelight vigil on Saturday—her eighteenth birthday.

“The resident assistants of Georgia Hall, where Jasmine had lived since August, felt that it was our obligation to honor and remember Jasmine in our residence hall,” William Jimerson, vigil coordinator, said.

They have also partnered with the Department of Housing & Residence Life, Student Government Association, the Dean of Students Office, and the Office of the President to make this endeavor a success.

“Our Valdosta State community will come together regardless if we personally knew Jasmine or not—no matter what race, age, major, background, sexual orientation, religion, or beliefs—we will not only celebrate the life and birthday of Jasmine, but show her family and friends our support” Jimerson said.
Other initiatives to commemorate the death of Jasmine have also been put into action.

“There are some nurses wanting to get together a foundation,” Robin Martinelli, the private investigator for the Benjamin family, said.  “Benjamin’s mother was an intensive care nurse for 19 years and she is now taking leave.”

The entire Valdosta community is encouraged to support or donate in any way. Donations will be accepted to aid the family in funeral arrangements.

#RememberJas