Senior Jacob Douglas and Joswiak met in the dorms two years ago, and were roommates ever since. Douglas described Joswiak as fun and outgoing.

“There was always so much laughter when he was around,” he said.

Joswiak, 22, of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., died Wednesday, March 17 from massive head trauma after falling off a balcony at 115 Niagara St.

According to an Eau Claire Police Department press release:

At approximately 2:20 a.m., officers responded to an apartment complex where they found Joswiak lying unresponsive in the parking lot. He was transported to Luther Hospital and pronounced dead at 5:30 p.m.

The police conducted an investigation and ruled that Joswiak’s death appeared to be accidental, which Eau Claire Chief Deputy Medical Examiner Joseph Nezworski confirmed. According to the release, he either climbed onto the safety rail and fell or attempted to jump over the rail to the parking lot below. There was one witness to the accident.

Junior Lauren Olsen said Joswiak was the type of person anyone could be friends with.

“He was so engaged in everybody’s lives,” she said. “He was one of the most genuine people I’ve ever met in my entire life.”

Olsen also said that even when he wasn’t trying to be the center of attention, it inevitably happened to him.

Associate Dean of Students Jodi Thesing-Ritter called the death a tragic loss and said Joswiak was “clearly loved by many.” Thesing-Ritter, who visited the hospital after she was notified of the incident, said she joined many people – more than 25 students and out of state family members — supporting Joswiak and hoping for his recovery.

“It was an incredibly emotional time . my heart is just really sad,” she said.

Douglas and Joswiak worked together at TV-10, and Joswiak was in charge of a game show. The topics of his show ranged from trivia to dorm residents competing against each other.

Douglas said Joswiak was extremely quick and witty, and that he always found humor in situations.

Joswiak’s funeral services were held yesterday at the Church of St. John Vianney, in south St. Paul.

Family was important to Joswiak, Douglas said. Joswiak would often go to Minnesota Wild hockey games with his dad and saw his family every two weeks or so, which his parents always appreciated, Douglas said.

When he was with friends, Olsen said Joswiak would say: “To old ships, and new ships and all ships at sea, the best ships are friendships so here’s to you and me.”

To carry on his memory, she said “That’s what we all do now.”

Editor’s Note: Sara Nemec contributed to this article.