Szychowski Remembered By Friends

By: James White

Posted: 1/24/08

Those who knew UConn senior Adam Marquis Szychowski II say they remember him as a thoughtful, intelligent and ambitious friend who was driven not only to succeed, but also to help others.

Szychowski, 23, was found dead early Friday, Jan. 11, near J. O. Christian Field, across from Hilltop Apartments, where he lived. Foul play was not involved, police say.

"He was a really good guy, probably one of the most genuine people I knew," said Jackie Cahill, a 4th semester international relations and Italian double major. "He was like an older brother to me."

News of Szychowski's death shocked and saddened his friends, dozens of which have left messages of condolences or shared memories on his Facebook profile, said Cahill.

Cahill, who is from the same hometown as Szychowski - Canton, Conn. - said that she grew close to him when they were students in high school, even though Szychowski was four years older than her.

Szychowski planned to graduate from UConn in May with a double major in anthropology and economics, Cahill said. She described him as so driven that he once took 22 credits in the same semester while he worked as many as 40 hours a week as a bouncer at Huskies.

Still, Cahill says he took the time to connect with his friends. "He could really read people's emotions," she said.

Once, Cahill recalled talking with Szychowski on the phone before meeting him for dinner.

"All I said was 'hello'," she said, but Szychowski could immediately tell she wasn't feeling well, and talked to her about a bad day she'd had.

"It was pretty neat - a lot of people don't have that," Cahill said.

Cahill also remembered Szychowski as highly involved with campus activities.

He served as a senator in USG for two years, and was USG's first elected Sergeant at Arms. In addition, Szychowski co-led the multicultural committee and worked on legislation with state legislators to change sexual assault laws and prevent violence against women.

In 2006, Szychowski campaigned on the same ticket as Rob Casapulla, an 8th-semester political science major, in an unsuccessful bid in USG's presidential elections.

"We kind of found each other," said Casapulla, who is the current speaker of USG. He explained that he "actually clashed a bit [with Syzchowski] at first." Eventually, he said, the two found they had many common concerns about USG's leadership and shared a passion for making the organization more responsive to the student body's needs.

"Adam was just a really great communicator," Casapulla said.

"He always approached a situation with an open mind - he just tried to see all sides and to compromise to get the best for the student body."

Casapulla said he remained close to Szychowski, adding, "whenever I ran into him on campus, it always turned into a deeper conversation. I just enjoyed the whole dynamic."

Dane Lustilla, an 8th-semester English major, said that while he didn't know Szychowski for long, he made a lasting impression.

"For the short period of time I knew him, he was a friendly and approachable person, he was smart beyond his years," Lustilla said.

"I'd run into him around campus at least a couple times a week," Lustilla added.

"Whenever I did, he brightened my day - he was such an upbeat person."

Lustilla said he remembered Szychowski's massive library, filled with tomes on history or humanitarian-related topics.

Enrique Perez-Brown, who lived one floor under Szychowski, had similar memories to share.

"He was a good kid, it seemed like he had a lot going for him," said Perez-Brown, an 8th semester sociology major who shared a poetry class with Szychowski last year.

"It's just sad," he said, describing his neighbor as outgoing, intelligent and caring.

Szychowski also had an athletic, naturalistic side to him, friends say.

Cahill said just recently Szychowski had tried to convince her to take part in a "polar plunge" into Coventry Lake with him.

"I told him 'No way in hell Adam, but you have fun!'" she said.

"I was really surprised [to hear of his death]," Cahill said. She described Szychowski as upbeat and seemingly happy, but mentioned he had struggled with depression in recent years.

"It's really too bad," she said. "I know he had a lot to give the world.

Besides his parents, Szychowski is survived by his younger brother, Andre "Anj" Szychowski.

A memorial service for Szychowski will be held Friday in the Wilbur Cross North Reading Room at 5 p.m

Contact James White at

James.White@UConn.edu.