Candlelight vigil to be held Oct. 12
By Brian Witter
"Haunted from my early youth by the transitoriness and pathos of life, I was aware that it is not enough to say 'I am doing no harm.' I ought to be testing myself daily, and asking myself what I am really achieving."
-- Margot Asquith
Jeannine Masch's untimely death over the summer shook up the Athletic Department only four short days after her friend and workout partner, Moses Salcido, passed away in a similarly tragic fashion.
The quote above had been taped to her locker in the Leavey training room and both student athletes and co-workers that knew her best have expressed that it embodies many of the genuine traits she possessed.
When Masch died in mid-July, the sports medicine department saw an outpouring of both grief and support from the university community in the days following her death.
"She was all about hard work and dedication," junior crew member A.J. Perry said. "Every single day she showed up at six in the morning to start working with the men's soccer team and then she'd stay late into the night to get her paperwork done. She truly loved her job too."
Masch first came to Santa Clara in 1984. She got involved volunteering with the sports medicine department in order to amass the observation hours she needed to become licensed as an athletic trainer.
Her fondness for soccer was best summed up in the eulogy given at her funeral by director of sports medicine, Mike Cembellin.
"In 1989, Jeannine experienced Santa Clara's first national championship in men's soccer. During this period, Jeannine forged many lasting friendships and completed her love and compassion for the game of soccer," Cembellin said. "It's obvious Jeannine had a special fondness for Santa Clara athletics. It was her second home."
In 1990, Masch left the university to finally finish her bachelor's degree at San Jose State while working part-time. Three years ago, she was welcomed with open arms back into the community where she had begun her career.
"Jeannine was a warm-hearted and very maternal type of person," senior student athletic trainer Danika Dykstra said.
"I started working there at the end of my freshman year and it can be intimidating at first, especially when you don't know what you're doing. She was one of the first people that I felt comfortable going up to and asking questions. She was always willing to teach me anything and everything."
In the training room, a sign hangs over her old office that reads: "You may be gone from this world, but forgotten you never shall be. We miss you, but the memories you left behind continue to brighten our days."
"The mood in the training room was very somber shortly after everyone learned about her death," fellow senior trainer Amy Kennedy said. "It might seem silly but we as a staff haven't really come together as a group to talk about what happened."
The staff will get their chance on Oct. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the front of the Mission Church. Campus Ministry will be holding a candlelight vigil for Masch with a silent procession across campus.
All members of the university community are invited to come and bring anything that represents Jeannine and the mark that she left on Santa Clara athletics.
Contact Brian Witter at (408) 551-1918 or bwitter@scu.edu.