WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WAVY) – A William & Mary student has died, Vice President for Student Affairs Ginger Ambler announced Saturday.
The body of Troy A. Cullen, a junior from Warren, N.J., was found by police in the woods on campus in the overnight hours Friday into Saturday, she said. No foul play is suspected, and there is no danger to the public, Ambler said.
His family has been notified, she said.
Cullen was a History major who was also studying Chinese, and at Watchung Hills Regional High School, he was the first clarinetist for an award-winning marching band, and he was a nationally-rated “E” sabre fencer with the varsity fencing team. He was also president of the William & Mary fencing club, played flag football and was a member of the Smash Club.
Ambler noted that Cullen was an outstanding student and the author of the top-prize winning essay, “The Legacy of the Soviet Union in Putin’s Foreign Policy,” published in the 2021-2022 issue of the Monitor, the college’s journal International Relations.
Said his academic advisor: “Troy was passionate about combining his interests in history and international security. He planned for a career in national security and public service. In his application to the emerging technology fellows program, he wrote that ‘I also hope that—however small my impact might be—the work I contribute to this project will help to make the country and the world just a little bit safer.’”
Ambler advised students to reach out to the Counseling Center, campus ministers and her office if needed, and counselors are available at 757-221-3620.
“Our community has endured such loss this semester,” Ambler said in a letter to the college community. “Now more than ever, may we lean on one another and find solace in our relationships. I encourage you to reach out for any support you may need, particularly as we head into final exams. I know you join me in extending deepest sympathies to Troy’s family and friends.”
