Tall Shiva Hookah Lounge, 224 W. College Ave., will no longer host rave parties, the lounge's owner said yesterday.

The announcement comes less than a week after police say a recent Penn State graduate might have died from a drug she obtained at a rave in the lounge.

Richard Zych, owner of Tall Shiva, also released a sympathy statement on behalf of the lounge. "We have not and will not condone the use of illicit drugs. We try to provide an alternative atmosphere to alcohol establishments," the statement said.

Stephanie Yau, 23, died Monday of a possible overdose of the illegal drug MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy. Friends of Yau said she took the drug in the early morning hours Sunday at Tall Shiva during a rave party, police said.

"Tall Shiva expresses our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Stephanie Yau," Zych's statement said in response to her death.

State College Police Department Sgt. John Wilson said police Chief Tom King will be personally calling establishments that sponsor rave parties to ask them to cease.

Popular among college students, raves have been associated with ecstasy and rohypnol, the drug commonly known as "the date-rape drug," Wilson said.

"I'm no expert on raves . . . they seem pretty pointless," Wilson said. "We as an organization definitely discourage them."

Yau was visiting friends for the weekend and ingested the "double-stack Superman pill," later becoming unconscious.

She was taken by friends to Centre Community Hospital and was later life-flighted to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.

An autopsy was performed Wednesday in Lehigh County and results will be released in a few weeks, due to the time involved in the processes.

Zych originally planned raves for Saturdays, but will no longer host them. Instead, Zych will be having benefit concerts with local bands playing acoustic acts. A $2 to $3 cover charge will be applied and all proceeds will benefit Community Help Center of Centre County, Zych said.

"We are actively pursuing any leads given about Stephanie's death," Zych's statement said. "We are also asking anyone with any information about this tragedy to come forward and notify the proper authorities."

Collegian staff writer Jill Leonard contributed to this report.