TL;DR
- Middlebury College senior and trans student Lia Smith, 21, died by suicide in Vermont.
- She was reported missing after last being seen on campus on October 17.
- Her body was found in a nearby field; students and police led search efforts.
- The college praised her advocacy, humor, and impact on campus life.
- Her death highlights ongoing struggles facing trans students and the importance of support.
Trans Student’s Tragic Campus Loss
A Vermont college town is grieving after the heartbreaking death of 21-year-old Middlebury College senior Lia Smith, a beloved trans student whose life was cut short by suicide. Smith, who was last seen on campus on October 17, was reported missing by her father two days later, sparking a widespread search that drew in police, drones, and dozens of student volunteers desperate for answers.
Her body was found on October 23 in a field near The Knoll, the college’s organic farm — a place known for sunshine, vegetables, and calm, now suddenly a site of unimaginable sadness. The medical examiner confirmed the next day that the cause of death was suicide, leaving the campus community to reckon with a devastating loss.
Smith wasn’t just any student passing through a lecture hall. She was a double-major in computer science and statistics — yes, brains for days — and a former member of the women’s swimming and diving team, as well as a familiar face in campus clubs from chess to Japanese language. She was also a vocal, articulate advocate for transgender rights. In other words: she didn’t just live on campus, she shaped it.
Middlebury’s president, Ian Baucom, spoke with raw emotion as he addressed the community, saying he had reached out to Smith’s family to share his heartbreak. “As president, and far more as a fellow parent, I ache for them. This is a profound loss that nobody should have to endure,” he said. He added that student affairs staff had been “offering compassionate support to Lia’s family, friends and students across our community,” and thanked both volunteers and authorities for their search efforts.
What stood out most wasn’t just Smith’s résumé — it was the mark she made on people. Baucom described her as “a gift to us,” noting her curiosity, her advocacy, and her impact: “We are so grateful that she was, and will always remain, a member of our Middlebury family.” The college plans to hold a gathering for students and staff to honor and remember her, with details to follow.
The tributes pouring in from the community paint the picture of someone unforgettable. One parent whose daughter swam with Smith remembered her as having a “wicked sense of humour,” adding, “gosh she could make me laugh.” Another family friend wrote, “Lia was an amazing friend to our daughter and an incredible human. We all adored her, our hearts are broken.”
Those who knew her — and many who didn’t — are feeling the gut-punch of losing a young trans woman who dared to live authentically in a world that doesn’t always make that easy. The shock, the grief, the “how did this happen?” whispers in dorm rooms and dining halls aren’t just about the tragedy itself — they’re about the reality that LGBTQ students, especially trans students, carry weights that others don’t always see.
Being trans on a college campus can mean navigating identity, safety, acceptance, and mental health all at once — while still trying to pass midterms. Smith stood tall as an advocate, a teammate, and a friend. And now her loss is a reminder of just how vital support, empathy, and community truly are for LGBTQ students everywhere.
Middlebury is left mourning someone whose potential stretched far beyond campus gates — and the LGBTQ community loses yet another bright light who deserved a world that fully embraced her. Her life mattered, her voice mattered, and the impact she made doesn’t end here.
May her memory be a blessing — and a call to do better for the queer and trans students who are still fighting to feel safe, valued, and seen.