The family of Robert Tudor Strang IV is creating a lasting way to remember the 20-year-old Ole Miss student following his sudden death in Oxford, Mississippi.
Strang, a junior from Atlanta, died Sept. 21. His family has established the Robert Tudor Strang IV Memorial Scholarship Fund, which will provide annual financial support to an Ole Miss student in the Phi Delta Theta fraternity who reflects the qualities Strang was known for during his life.
According to his family, Strang had a warm personality and a strong sense of compassion. They remembered him as someone who looked out for people who might otherwise be overlooked and made those around him feel welcome.
That spirit is at the center of the new scholarship. The family said the award will go to a Phi Delta Theta student who demonstrates qualities including friendship, kindness, generosity and a genuine enjoyment of life. Strang was a member of the fraternity.
The scholarship comes as Strang’s family and friends continue to mourn his unexpected death. His obituary described the young man as someone who brought people together and was remembered for his humor, kindness and close friendships.
Investigation into Strang’s death continues
Strang’s death is still being investigated, and authorities have not announced an official cause.
Another Ole Miss student, 18-year-old freshman Aidan Hamilton of Englewood, Colorado, also died Sept. 21 in a separate incident. Authorities have said there is no confirmed evidence that the two deaths were connected.
Investigators found packaged kratom during both investigations. However, authorities have not confirmed that kratom caused or contributed to either student’s death. Toxicology testing is expected to provide additional information as investigators work to determine what happened.
Officials have urged people not to draw conclusions before the investigations and toxicology testing are complete.
For Strang’s family, the scholarship offers a way to carry forward the qualities they say defined him. Rather than marking his life only through his death, the fund will connect his memory with another Ole Miss student who shares the values his family says he lived by.
The family has asked for privacy while grieving, while friends, classmates and members of the Phi Delta Theta community continue to remember Strang and the impact he had on those around him.
