DeKALB | Two NIU students were killed in a car accident early Wednesday.

About 1 a.m., NIU students Tommy Young Choi, 20, of Palatine, and Cindy Young Kim, 20, of Northbrook, along with Purdue student Karen Chiang, 19, died traveling home in the north suburbs. Police said Choi lost control of his 2004 Mazda RX-8, which crashed into the median in the 100 block of East Lower Wacker, near Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive. All three passengers were pronounced dead on the scene.

Both Choi and Kim were active in NIU Asian American student groups, NIU officials said.

Choi was a junior art major. Kim was a sophomore human resource management major. Kim served as secretary and executive board member of NIU’s Asian American Association and also belonged to the Korean Student Association.

“This is a very sad day for our entire campus community,” NIU President John Peters said in a written statement released last week. “Tommy Choi and Cindy Kim were outstanding student leaders and articulate spokespersons for the Asian-American student body. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families, friends and loved ones.”

NIU officials plan to hold a community gathering at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Stevenson Towers North Multipurpose Room to allow students an opportunity to express their feelings on the accident.

NIU is working with friends of the victims to provide support and counseling. Peters said the university is particularly concerned about providing support for family members and close friends, including roommates, fellow members of the tight-knit Asian American student organizations and other students who were present at the scene of the accident.