He was a professor's dream, the kind of student who hung onto every word of every lecture and came back for more after class ended.

Scott Gregory Hawkins spent only a few months at California State University, Sacramento, before his violent death on campus last week. But he made an indelible impression, students and faculty members said at a candlelight memorial Wednesday night. They described him as shy, kind and gentle, but with a fiery passion for history, his chosen academic path.

He typically sat in the front row, "and paid absolute attention," often nodding or smiling quizzically during lectures, said Robert Dunn, Hawkins' American history professor. "He was totally engaged," Dunn said, and often chatted up lecturers after class.

The vigil, which about 300 people attended, represented a small step toward healing from one of the worst tragedies in campus history, speakers said. It took place in front of the American River Courtyard residence hall where police said another student, Quran Jones, beat Hawkins to death with a baseball bat in an inexplicable fit of rage.

Jones, 19, was shot and wounded by campus police when, they said, he charged at them with a kitchen knife in the suite that he shared with Hawkins and three others.

Jones is recovering at UC Davis Medical Center, and when released will be charged with the murder of Hawkins and the attempted murder of a police officer.

The tragedy has rattled the quiet commuter campus of 30,000 students where Hawkins and Jones, each the product of private religious Bay Area high schools, attended classes. Inside the residence hall where Hawkins lived and died, signs with the words "RIP Scott" have been posted, and counselors have been busy talking to shaken students.

"The main question is, 'Why?' " said CSUS President Alexander Gonzalez. "We don't know. But we are going to try to answer that question in the days and weeks to follow."

Campus officials said they were unaware of any tension between Hawkins and Jones, who had been roommates since August. Reports on the search warrant issued in the case, as well as toxicology tests, could shed light on what sparked the attack but are not yet available.

Hawkins, who had Asperger's syndrome, a mild form of autism, had been attending college in hopes of becoming a history teacher. He was devoutly religious and, among other things, participated in social service projects for homeless people in Sacramento and Americans Indians in Nevada.

On campus, he was quiet and studious, said Elizabeth Mueller, his resident adviser.

"Every time I saw him he looked really happy," she said.

Afshin Marashi, who taught modern world history, said Hawkins "made an impression on me right from the beginning. He was one of those students that professors love to have in class, whose faces light up when you are lecturing."

After a discussion of the Napoleonic wars, "it became very clear that he knew more about Napoleon's armies than I did," Marashi said.

Student body President Roberto Torres said the death of Hawkins "reminds us that while we may have a safe haven on campus, we are not impenetrable."

"Our students are under a lot of stress, and what we need is to come together," he told the crowd. "Let us support one another so that tragedies like these never happen again to our family here at Sacramento State."

Among those attending the service were Hawkins' parents, Elizabeth and Gerald. They did not speak and declined to talk to the news media.

A local Methodist minister, Matt Smith, made reference to their loss in a reading from the Book of Jeremiah.

"Rachel is weeping for her children," he read. "They are no more."

A memorial service for Hawkins is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Good Samaritan United Methodist Church in Cupertino. Remembrances may be made to the Bill Wilson Center, 3490 The Alameda, Santa Clara, CA 95050. The center teaches peace and tolerance and provides services for youths and young adults.

Call The Bee's Cynthia Hubert, (916) 321-1082.