Sam Lustgarten, who started a scholarship fund, works with fellow CSU grad student Jaclyn Menendez in a computer lab Friday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post )

FORT COLLINS — The deaths came so suddenly that they overwhelmed Sam Lustgarten, making him think he needed to end his own life.

"I was so depressed, I felt such despair," said Lustgarten. "I just felt there wasn't any hope."

In all, there were three suicides in just a few months, and they were linked in some way to Lustgarten's life as a student at Colorado State University.

The first was probably the worst for Lustgarten. It involved a quiet student whom Lustgarten got to know briefly during the spring 2009 semester.

As a residence-hall assistant at CSU, Lustgarten tried to get to know all the students housed at his dorm. The two talked about books and soccer, and Lustgarten noticed the student liked to spend time alone.

But Lustgarten said he had no idea the student was considering ending his own life.

"He wasn't on my radar for something like that," he said. "I had no idea."

After the student died in April 2009, two other CSU-related suicides quickly followed, and Lustgarten found himself enveloped by despair.

"I felt trapped, I felt I had nothing left," he said.

However, Lustgarten, a psychology student, recognized the signs of his own severe depression and decided to save himself.

He shook off his lethargy and left his parents' home in Golden on a cold winter night in 2010 and drove himself to a hospital.

That was Lustgarten's first tiny step toward establishing a $25,000 scholarship aimed at preventing suicides.

After being released from a 72-hour mental-health hold — and rejecting the idea of dropping out of school — he returned to the CSU campus with a new resolve.

"I just had to try and put a stop to this," Lustgarten said. "I had to believe something had to be done."

He approached school officials in spring 2010 with the idea of helping students interested in mental health and suicide prevention. He started the Always Remember Never Surrender Scholarship and began soliciting donors.

Money flowed in from a variety of sources, and last week it was announced the scholarship is fully endowed at more than $25,000.

"It's amazing and stunning how suicide has affected so many people," Lustgarten said.

A Poudre High School student raised $4,000, which was promptly matched by Jan Nerger, the dean of CSU's College of Natural Sciences.

"I just think people were touched by this," said Simone Clasen, director of development for the College of Natural Sciences. "They figured this is the way to make a difference."

Two CSU students have been awarded money under the scholarship, which could help fill an enormous mental-health gap on America's college campuses, say experts.

Suicide is the second-most-common cause of death in college, and it's third behind vehicle crashes and homicides in the general population of 18- to 24-year-olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Stress over grades, loneliness, monetary issues and relationships can all lead to depression and thoughts of suicide among students, said Lustgarten, now a graduate student and research associate with the Colorado Injury Control Research Center.

It is estimated that 9 percent to 10 percent of college students have considered suicide, while nearly 2 percent attempt suicide.

Yet, 38 percent of colleges don't even offer psychological services for students, according to one 2003 study.

Lustgarten hopes the scholarship can pave the way for more help for students who are hurting. "There's hope for people who are suffering and there's hope for people who can help these people," he said.

To contribute to the scholarship, go tohttps://advancing.colostate.edu/cns/psych/give, or call Simone Clasen at 970-491-0997.

Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907 ormwhaley@denverpost.com