Mary Travis, a 19-year-old sophomore from Austin, Texas, died Nov. 22 on campus. Friends described Travis as a bubbly, fun-loving girl who was passionate about art, music and her friendships. She was known for her contagious smile and her warmth.

“Mary McIver Travis was a beautiful person,” sophomore Neel Dhaliwal said. “When you first met her all you could see was the pretty face, but once you got to know her you would never be able to deny that she was so much more. People think that being perfect means you are perfect in every way, but it was Mary’s imperfections that made her the unique and charming person we knew and loved.”

Travis was a management major with a minor in studio art. 

“Mary was also musically talented,” Dhaliwal said. “Not only did she have an amazing singing voice, but she could also hum and whistle like no other.” 

Sophomore Rachel Bondy, one of Travis’s sorority sisters and closest friends, said she will never forget her spontaneity.

“I fell in love with Mary when she showed up at our beach condo [in Gulf Shores, AL] with a Wendy’s Baconator, a double stuffed potato and a few boxes of hair dye,” Bondy said. “We dyed our hair in the bathtub while we blasted country music and ate Kit Kats and chips. Mary’s spontaneous nature was absolutely contagious, and that is one of the most beautiful parts of her I’ll miss.”

Travis was a member of the Chi Omega sorority and the social media chair for ONE, a grassroots advocacy and campaigning organization with a focus on extreme poverty and preventable disease. 

Travis is remembered by her parents, Ed and Ann, and her sister, Kate. An on-campus vigil to remember the lives lost at Tulane this semester will be held 5 p.m Thursday on the Lavin-Bernick Center quad.