When people think of Marianne Guppenberger, they remember her for her confidence. She never doubted herself.

Originally from Taiwan, Guppenberger came to Syracuse University without even visiting. Just from her research about the university, she knew she wanted to be an SU student.

“The fact that she came here without even seeing campus says a lot about her,” said Harrison Hascoe, Guppenberger’s boyfriend. “She was very confident. She knew what she wanted and took risks.”

Although she was a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, Guppenberger had plans to transfer into the Martin J. Whitman School of Management.

Guppenberger, an undeclared freshman in Arts and Sciences, died from a fall early Saturday morning. The circumstances surrounding her death are still unknown.

A memorial for Guppenberger will be held Wednesday at the Burns Garfield Funeral Home, located 3175 E. Genesee St. Visiting hours are 1-3 p.m. with a memorial service following at 3 p.m.

Those close to Guppenberger remember her for her kindness, confidence and ability to bring people together.

She was never seen without a smile, said Jason Kelly, who attended high school with Guppenberger at the Taipei American School in Taiwan.

Guppenberger would greet every student she passed in the school’s hallways, Kelly said.

“Her kindness definitely left a mark on our school,” Kelly said. “She had a very bright persona.”

He added that Guppenberger had a “budding talent” for soccer. She was very skilled, he said, and held various leadership positions on their high school’s team.

Guppenberger was very involved in SU’s international community and was a founding member of the International Student Organization, said Iggy Nava, a close friend of Guppenberger and sophomore international relations and political science major.

As a founding member, Guppenberger was involved in defining the vision of the organization. She was able to recruit a lot of new members, Nava said, attributing her success in encouraging students to join to her relatable personality.

“She just was able to draw people in. She had a magnet-like personality,” he said. “Whenever I saw her, she was always surrounded by a group of people.”

In her close circle of friends, Nava said, Guppenberger had the nickname “Cheeseburger,” which was a play off of her last name. She was a loyal and devoted friend who supported and participated in all of her friends’ organizations and activities, he said.

Guppenberger’s confidence made her an individual, Nava said, adding that she had a quirky style and variety of interests. She enjoyed watching romantic comedies and was an avid player of World of Warcraft.

Nava said he and some of Guppenberger’s close friends are in the process of planning a memorial on campus. He said he wants her to be remembered for her kindness and deep commitment to her friends.

“But everyone will remember her for her smile,” Nava said. “She really just had a beautiful smile.”

Published on April 9, 2013 at 12:22 am

Contact Meredith: mhnewman@syr.edu | @MerNewman93