SAN FRANCISCO, CA - November 6, 2002 -San Francisco State University student Rose Virginia Soberanis died today, after collapsing during a gym class. A full-time nursing major, she collapsed at approximately 10:46 a.m. during a Step Aerobics class. The class, which meets on Mondays and Wednesdays, begins at 10:10 a.m. and ends at 10:55 a.m. The student collapsed during the cool-down period, following the same workout routine that the class had participated in since the beginning of the semester.

The instructor, Lecturer Ann Marie Brown, called 911 at 10:47 a.m., and the University's Department of Public Safety (DPS) arrived on the scene at approximately 10:50 a.m. Sgt. Jennifer Schwartz, who is also an Emergency Medical Technician, found the student unconscious, without a pulse, not breathing and with fixed and dilated pupils. Sgt. Schwartz and Officer Andrew Serrata immediately brought in a portable AED (auto-external defibrillator) in an attempt to restart the student's normal cardiac rhythm. The officers then initiated CPR.

In the meantime, DPS dispatch called the San Francisco Fire Department at 10:49 a.m. Paramedics arrived under a "Code 3" at 10:56 a.m. and the fire truck at 10:57 a.m. .

Also called to the scene from the Student Health Center were Dr. Marie Schafle, Dr. Molino and Leslie Mulligan, RN.

The emergency team continued to administer CPR for over 35 minutes. They also inserted an endotracheal tube into the student's airway in an effort to deliver effective ventilation and resuscitating medications. The student never regained consciousness.

Soberanis was taken to UCSF at 11:40 a.m., and was pronounced dead on arrival. A cause of death has not yet been determined.

Brown, who has taught aerobics classes for 20 years and six at SFSU, said that Soberanis was an exceptional, enthusiastic student and had never shown any difficulty or strain during the class.

Soberanis transferred to SFSU in the fall of 2000 from Diablo Valley College. Born on October 17, 1967, Soberanis was a senior.