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College Student From Northern Westchester Found Dead In Dorm

Alexandra Marie Ciarcia of Pleasantville died unexpectedly in her college sorority house in upstate New York due to a pre-existing medical condition. She was 21.

Alexandra Marie Ciarcia

Alexandra Marie Ciarcia

Photo Credit: Contributed

The senior communications major was found in the SUNY Geneseo sorority house on Wadsworth Street on Thursday night, Sept. 21 when police, along with the ambulance and Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, responded to a suspected medical issue.

An investigation did not show signs of foul play or an alcohol or drug overdose, Geneseo Police Chief Eric Osganian said, according to the Livingston County News.

Ciarcia, a 2014 graduate of Pleasantville High School, was president of Phi Lambda Chi sorority. She also was serving as managing editor of The Lamron, Geneseo’s student newspaper, after previously serving as a copy editor for the newspaper.

She was interning with the College Communications and Marketing Office this semester. As an intern she wrote press releases, including longer featured releases on campus programs and personalities and also helped maintain and distribute a weekly list of arts and cultural events – a favorite subject of hers – that was distributed to area media.

David Irwin, media relations director for the college, called Alexandra “a talented and dependable writer.” 

“She was eager to learn, had a very pleasant personality, and her talent for writing combined with a strong work ethic contributed enormously to advancing the reputation of the college she loved,” said Irwin, who worked closely with Ciarcia during her internships. “I shall greatly miss her.”

Her stories ranged from the college’s record fundraising Relay for Life event for the American Cancer Society to a scavenger hunt conducted for National Fossil Day in 2016 to the opening of a “trading room” on campus designed to give business students real-time experiences. Alexandra “realized she wanted to write her own creative pieces and articles when at fifteen-years-old she was awarded first place in a Harry Potter fanfiction contest.

Alexandra was awarded the college’s John V. Lynn ‘83 Memorial Award Scholarship in Journalism in 2016. She was named to SUNY Geneseo’s Dean’s List for each of the six semesters that she had completed at the college. Her other interests included traveling, playing with her dog and reading.

Alex is survived by her brother and best friend Chris Ciarcia; her father Dennis Ciarcia (Madonna Swanson); her  aunts, uncles and cousins: James Ciarcia (Michelle Ciarcia; children: Melissa Ciarcia, Rebecca Ciarcia-Haase) Howie Ciarcia (Debbie Burnell; children: Irene Burnell, Grace Burnell) Theresa Clarke (children Cayla Clarke), Robert Ciarcia, and Diane Ciarcia (children: Nikki .

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Holy Innocents Roman Catholic Church, 431 Bedford Rd, Pleasantville, NY 10570 on Thursday, Sept. 28 at 2 p.m.

Following the mass, there will be a gathering where all be together and celebrate the wonderfulness of Alex.

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