Jacob Koltun, the CU senior who died at Breckenridge last week, will receive an honorary degree from the University of Colorado English department.
“We had only a few weeks with Jake in the class, but he charmed us all.” said Jan Whitt, one of Koltun’s professors. “We had a dinner at the Rio in his honor on March 2nd. We saved a seat for him, wrote messages to his family and talked about how much we miss him.”
“Jacob Koltun’s death was a deeply shocking and heartbreaking tragedy,” associate professor and chair of the english department, David Glimp, said. “I’ve spoken with a few of his professors and they all regarded him very highly as a student and person, and they all share the deep sadness my colleagues and I feel for the loss of a member of our community. Our thoughts and best wishes are with Jacob’s family and friends during this very difficult time.”
“Jacob will be receiving a posthumous degree from CU-Boulder.” Glimp said. “He would likely have finished all of the requirements for a degree over the summer, and as is customary in such tragic circumstances, the university will be granting a degree and providing Jacob’s family with an official diploma.”
Koltun will be awarded and acknowledged at the University’s commencement in May.
Koltun was the second CU student to lose his life this ski season, following the death of 22-year-old junior Rob Miles at Eldora Mountain.
“It’s really sad because we’re out there doing the same things,” Abby Caballero, the CU Freeride president, said. “It’s really sad when you hear about stuff like that happening when you know there were things that could have been done to prevent it.”
In regard to safety, Caballero added, “Number one is to wear a helmet, that’s one of those little things that’s hard to hear. The other one is to know your limits. You are the only person who knows what you can do and what you can’t do.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Matthew DuBois at matthew.dubois@colorado.edu.
