Lauren McCluskey remembered by family, students, campus police four years after her death

Despite chilly weather Saturday morning, about 100 runners gathered on the University of Utah campus for a 5K run — the first Race for Campus Safety.

The run was hosted by the Lauren McCluskey Foundation and was in honor of Lauren McCluskey, a University of Utah student who was shot and killed while on campus by her ex-boyfriend four years ago. Lauren's mom, Jill McCluskey said the run is a great way to bring attention to the need for campus safety.

"It's wonderful that the students and volunteers and everyone came together to do this today. It raises awareness of the urgency and seriousness of stalking and campus safety," Jill McCluskey said.

Lauren McCluskey was a sprinter and a jumper, so a 5K wouldn't really be her event, but Jill McCluskey said likely she would have joined a similar event to have fun with her dad who was running.

Her track coach at the University of Utah designed the course and she had a roommate who volunteered. Some alumni who knew her came to the event, but after four years most of the students who knew Lauren McCluskey have graduated.

University of Utah Campus Police

Lauren McCluskey broke up with Melvin Shawn Rowland, 37, less than two weeks before she died — after she learned he had lied to her about his name, age and criminal history and was a registered sex offender. She called the U. police department multiple times seeking help. Her family argued the campus police force should have done more and filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the university both in state and federal courts.

The lawsuits were resolved through a $13.5 million settlement with the University. Of those funds $3 million were specifically for the Lauren McCluskey Foundation, but Jill McCluskey said all of the funds would go toward the foundation's missions including campus safety, animal welfare and amateur athletics.

Now, the foundation and campus police worked together to host a run, both groups promoting campus safety.

Jill McCluskey said she thinks the foundation has made a lot of progress on improving campus safety at the University of Utah, she was told 94% of the officers on the force were hired during the last four years.

"I've received so many messages from them that ... they're just trying to do all they can to make the students safer," she said.

McCluskey said the campus police are working to increase student trust and are doing all they can. Despite this progress, she said, there is still a long way to go.

Jason Hinojosa, police chief at the University of Utah, said before the awards ceremony this is the first time he was able to meet Jill and Matt McCluskey, but that the department has put forth a lot of effort in their daughter's name throughout the last four years.

"The work isn't done, we can do better," Hinojosa said. "We're working hard to make sure that this community is safer but we can't do it by ourselves, we want to do it hand in hand with the community."

Emily Ashcraft, KSL.com

Maj. Heather Sturzenegger with University of Utah campus police said there were about 20 officers who ran in the race, from within the entire Department of Public Safety, and more helping along the race course. She said it was very important to the department to be a part of this event. They wanted to show support for Lauren McCluskey and her family, and highlight changes the department has made.

"We just ... really love that family and we just really want to support them," she said.

Sturzenegger said she thinks they have come a long way in the last four years. She teaches sexual assault training courses around the state and said they are constantly training their officers on trauma-informed interview techniques and recognizing trauma.

"There were some things missing in Lauren's case and we don't ever want to do that again. So, we don't hold our officers accountable for all those things, but we do ... a ton of training with them. We make sure they understand all the laws and what stalking is," she said.

She said if the officers recognize signs of stalking, trauma and strangulation, it prevents situations where they should have done something and didn't.

Sturzenegger encouraged women to be aware of their surroundings, listen to their gut and have a plan in mind. If something doesn't feel right, get out of the situation. She also said they are testing an app for students that can alert people if something goes wrong without making a sound, and they are looking for other technology to build campus safety.

University of Utah students

Taylor Johnson and Abbe Grubbs, both U of U freshmen and runners in the race, did not have any previous connection to Lauren McCluskey, but they joined the race after hearing about it in their sorority and wanting to support the message.

"It's definitely something that's important to a lot of people, that's why we're doing it ... because it's really important," Grubbs said.

She said campus safety impacts everyone. Both girls expressed taking steps to make sure they are safe, running during daylight and being aware.

Johnson said in her Greek life experience so far, often people's stories conflict and it can be easy to not take what people say seriously, but she said the best thing to do is just listen and make sure people are safe.

They both said they expect to join the race next year and during the rest of their time as students.

The Lauren McCluskey Foundation

Jill McCluskey said there are multiple organizations who work with violence prevention, but they focus on the response — raising awareness for how people who hear of someone in trouble should respond. She said they try to increase awareness of danger and promote believing people when they come to you.

McCluskey, who is a professor herself at Washington State University, said they have professors at over 230 universities who now put "Lauren’s promise" on their syllabus — "I will listen and believe you if someone is threatening you."

These professors help connect students to resources.

Improving communication between campus departments is another focus. McCluskey said multiple people had heard concerns from Lauren McCluskey before she was killed, but because they didn't communicate no one took action.

University of Utah

"A bunch of people knew there was something wrong, but no one worked together," she said.

On Friday, the foundation was involved in a memorial awareness walk and they encouraged other campuses to host walks throughout the week to raise awareness for dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.

Jill McCluskey said they established a new board for the foundation this year and are working with experts to make a difference.

Although this is the first year the run has happened at the University of Utah, there have been three runs held in Lauren McCluskey's hometown in Pullman Washington. She said they got a lot of support, but they are hoping to make the run "bigger and better" next year. There was also an option to sign up to participate virtually and run in a different location.