Law school community mourns the loss of Beth Chitwood, Class of 2018

Elizabeth ChitwoodElizabeth “Beth” Chitwood, a second-year student at Vanderbilt Law School, died in North Carolina Aug. 28 due to complications from a pulmonary embolism and cardiac arrest suffered a week earlier.

“We mourn Beth, and we extend our deepest condolences to Beth’s family, friends and loved ones,” said Chris Guthrie, dean of the law school and John Wade-Kent Syverud Professor of Law.

Chitwood was a recipient of a Chancellor’s Law Scholarship and was active in numerous student organizations, including the Vanderbilt Law School Ambassadors and the Women’s Law Student Association. She was selected as a member of Vanderbilt Law Review following the 2016 joint-journal competition.

Students, faculty and staff are invited to gather 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 29, in Blackacre (first floor of the Law School building) for a candlelight vigil. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Vanderbilt makes available numerous resources for grieving students through the Psychological and Counseling Center (615-322-2571), the Center for Student Wellbeing (615-322-0480) and the Office of Religious Life (615-322-2457). Resources for faculty and staff may be accessed through Work/Life Connections (615-936-1327).

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