An Eastern Illinois University student died Sunday night at Sarah Bush Medical Center, the university’s spokesperson said Monday.

Ivory Ricks, a 25-year-old psychology major, died of natural causes, said Vicki Woodard, the director of university communications.

Ricks received an associate’s degree in arts from Lake Land Community College in 2007.

She served from June 2000 to August 2005 in the U.S. Navy.

“It’s so sad that a person that served in the war in Iraq came back here and died of natural causes at a very young age,” said William Addison, chair of the psychology department.

Ricks had recently met with her adviser, Cathy Schoonover, to plan for next semester.

“I know she was looking forward to next semester and progressing with her degree,” Schoonover said.

In addition to being Ricks’ adviser, Schoonover taught Ricks in two of her classes. Schoonover said that since it was Ricks’ first semester she did not know her very well, but she realized Ricks had a lot of strength and potential.

During the weekend, Schoonover was grading Ricks’ essay from her Adolescent Psychology class.

Students had to choose an essay from “Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul” and relate it to teen behavior and their own lives. Ricks chose to write on a selection titled “Making Dad Proud,” said Schoonover.

“In her assignment, she mentioned that her dad is a strict and protective father but that she understood that since she was the first daughter,” Schoonover said. “She also spoke about what a hard worker her dad has always been and how she respected that even though his work often took away from his family time.

“She wrote about how she has always strived to make her dad proud and I’m sure that she did make him proud, but it is so tragic that she did not have the opportunity to make him even prouder, because she would have.”

Plans for a memorial service are not finalized, said Mona Davenport, director of Minority Affairs.

Davenport and Sandra Cox, director of the Counseling Center, are going to work with Ricks’ friends and family to plan a service.

Ricks’ brother and sister, both of whom attend Eastern, have gone home, Davenport said.

On Monday, counselors were sent to each of Ricks’ classes and counselors are available at the Counseling Center for students who knew Ricks.