Boise State loses student leader in auto accident

Boise State student Trang Doan, 23 was killed Saturday in a

weather-related traffic accident on I-86 near American Falls, Id.

Doan and seven other BSU students were returning from a cultural

diversity workshop at Idaho State University when the 12 passenger

university-owned van carrying the students wrecked.

Doan, a Vietnam native was a student at Boise State for five

years and was an active leader and a student employee with the BSU

Women’s Center and Cultural Center. She was also involved

with the Vietnam Student Association, the International Student

Association and the Filapino-American Organization.

Student Union Director Leah Barrett said Doan, an international

student, lived with her host family for the last five years and

they were very close.

Doan completed a bachelor’s degree in computer information

systems in December and was working on another degree in business

management.

Described as soft-spoken, yet not shy, Doan was instrumental in

organizing many cultural events on campus.

Minh Lam, one of Doan’s closest friends, recalls working

with her to organize the Vietnamese New Year celebration.

“Just a couple of weeks ago we were putting flowers

together for the New Year and we were arguing, as always. She kept

telling me to keep working,” Lam said. “Almost every

time I’d see her we’d argue, but she never became

angry.”

“You never know how much a person touches you until she is

not there. She was always joking, making everyone laugh,” Lam

said.

Lam and another of Doan’s close friends, Godfrey Chow,

organized Doan’s memorial service slated for Thursday at 7

p.m. in the SUB Jordan Ballroom.

“At the beginning we were planning for about 50 to 75

people to attend the memorial, now we are planning for 500, maybe

more,” Chow said.

In addition, the university is collecting money to bring

Doan’s family to Boise from Vietnam for her funeral services.

Anyone wishing to donate to a fund for this purpose is asked to

contact the Student Union at 426-1551.

Barrett said the phones have been ringing off the hook.

“The number of people that are affected by this tragedy is

reflective of how many lives she touched,” Barrett said.

Another student leader, Ramiro Castro, 23, of Burley was

seriously injured in the accident. Castro was transported to

Portnuef Medical Center in Pocatello. His injuries are not

considered life threatening. Castro is an ASBSU senator from the

College of Applied Technology.

Five other students who were passengers incurred minor injuries.

They were treated and released from Harms Memorial Hospital in

American Falls for minor injuries.

According to Idaho State Police reports, the van slid into a

ditch, jumped a cement barrier, struck a tree and came to rest in

an embankment.

The accident was among several caused by snowfall and drifts

between 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. Sunday, Idaho State Police

said. During that period, state police responded to 27 slide-offs

in the Pocatello area, including five property-damage accidents and

two other crashes in which motorists sustained minor injuries.

Memorial Service for Trang Doan

Thursday, 7pm. SUB, Jordan Ballroom

Persons wishing to donate to her funeral fund are asked to call

(208) 426-1551

Jessica Adams
Managing Editor
The Arditer

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