Salt Lake City – On Saturday, the University of Utah’s McCarthy Family Track and Field Complex hosted a record‑breaking fifth annual Run for Campus Safety. Over 800 runners, students, university staff and local residents took part in the event held in memory of former student‑athlete Lauren McCluskey, who was tragically shot on campus in 2018.
Family and community remember Lauren
Lauren’s mother, Jill McCluskey, stood on the track that once saw her daughter compete. “It always brings back so many memories of Lauren running on this track,” Jill said, noting the overwhelming community support and the positive changes she sees emerging from the event.
Jill also reunited with several of Lauren’s former teammates, expressing how their presence keeps her daughter’s spirit alive. “I see her in them… it means so much to us,” she added.
Campus safety reforms highlighted
The run also served as a platform to showcase the university’s ongoing safety reforms. After a multimillion‑dollar settlement with the McCluskey family, the University of Utah acknowledged past failures in handling harassment reports and has since overhauled its safety department.
Keith Squires, the university’s chief safety officer, explained that he was initially hired to conduct an independent review of the university’s response to Lauren’s killing. He later helped implement the review’s recommendations. “This is a completely different department here than we had before,” Squires said, pointing to changes in personnel, culture and a renewed commitment to safety.
One of the new initiatives is the “Lauren Promise,” which encourages the campus community to believe and support anyone who comes forward for help. Student Brittany Ramirez noted the message’s growing presence across campus. “I see my professors saying it all the time, and just in my sorority it’s everywhere. I like how much of a difference it’s making,” she said.
Run emphasizes belief in victims
Throughout the race, participants carried signs urging people to believe victims, speak up and take dating violence seriously. The visual reminders reinforced that the event is about more than remembrance; it is about preventing future tragedies.
Squires summed up the run’s purpose: “It’s just a great opportunity to take something that’s such a tragedy and turn it into something that’s so positive for safety for everyone.”
Legacy continues
Eight years after Lauren’s death, her name continues to unite families, students and university leaders in a shared mission of awareness, action and safer campuses. The record attendance at this year’s run signals a community committed to honoring her memory by fostering a safer environment for all.
Original reporting: FOX 13 KSTU (Scripps) – Salt Lake City — read the source article.
