MADISON, Wis. — UW-Madison officials on Thursday confirmed that a man who drowned in Lake Mendota nearly two weeks ago was a student at the university.
The Dane County Medical Examiner identified the man Thursday as 22-year-old Layne Hailu.
In a remembrance post shared by UW-Madison the same day, university officials said Hailu had traveled from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to study philosophy. University officials said he was interested in how computer science and economics could help support agriculture and increase food availability throughout his home country. Hailu was a junior at the university.
Friends of his said Hailu was a “changemaker and innovator” who was passionate about sports and had an infectious smile.
“As college students, we are usually uncertain about what we want to do with our lives,” Hailu’s friend and May 2022 graduate Sheriff Mohammed Issaka said. “That wasn’t true for Layne. He always knew he wanted to be of service to humanity, especially his home country Ethiopia. Even from freshman year, Layne would talk about working for the African Union to bring change to Africa and the world at large.”
According to the university, Hailu was a member of the King-Morgridge Scholars Program, which consists of “high-achieving students” from Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and South Asia.
“Layne connected with multiple communities on our campus and was loved by many,” Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Lori Reesor said in the post. “We’re deeply sorry for his family, friends and fellow scholars.”
RELATED: Body found in Lake Mendota at Memorial Union, officials do not suspect foul play
The 22-year-old’s body was found roughly 15 feet off of a pier at UW-Madison’s Memorial Union on the morning of Aug. 19. When police got to the scene shortly after getting a report of a person floating in the water, they determined Hailu had already died.
Officials said additional testing is still underway. While the investigation into Hailu’s death is ongoing, police do not suspect any foul play.
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