A former student died Wednesday morning after a long battle with cancer, prompting an outpouring of posts from her friends, family and even a Syracuse University professor on her Facebook page.

Mary Catherine Hayes, 21, majored in acting. She attended the College of Visual and Performing Arts before leaving SU in fall 2011 on medical leave, said Colleen Bench, assistant vice president of student affairs. Hayes attended SU for one semester.

“Our hearts go out to her family and we’re grateful for the time that she was a student with us,” said Thomas Wolfe, senior vice president and dean of student affairs.

Despite only completing one semester, Hayes drew a large community around her, said Gerardine Clark, a drama professor who taught Hayes while she was a freshman at SU.

“Everyone knew her,” Clark said. “She was jolly, she was funny, she was kind, which is why, if you go on her Facebook page, you’ll see that incredibly many students have posted about her passing.”

Clark said she was among the people who posted on Hayes’ Facebook page after hearing of her death.

Hayes, Clark said, was uninhibited and talented.

“For a first-semester freshman, she was one of the best I’ve ever had,” Clark said.

Kind and generous, Hayes had a brightening effect on those around her, she said.

“The only harm she did to the world was leave it,” Clark said.

Clark said she and Hayes kept in touch even after she left SU for medical leave.

“As far as I’m concerned, she is a permanent member of the drama department, because she never left,” Clark said.  “Mary Catherine Hayes will be with me until I die.”

Published on June 5, 2013 at 5:24 pm

Contact Natsumi: najisaka@syr.edu