Friend of missing Lauren Spierer: "No one's going to give up" in search for Indiana Univ. student

(CBS/WISH-TV) - The search was continuing Thursday for missing Indiana University student Lauren Spierer, who was last seen walking alone toward her Bloomington apartment building around 4:30 a.m. last Friday.

Crimesider spoke to Spierer's childhood friend Alyson Shenker, who painted a picture of a woman who is "creative, giving and caring."

"Lauren is one of the most well rounded girls I've ever met," Shenker said, describing Lauren's involvement in soccer, lacrosse and fashion classes during her time at Edgemont High School in suburban New York City.

According to Shenker, Spierer was also an active participant and leader at the Scarsdale Synagogue Tremont Temple, which recently held a vigil for the missing student.

Shenker told Crimesider Spierer spent her past spring break volunteering in Israel and worked with Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans.

"Lauren is always thinking about others," Shenker said. Alyson reminisced about one Mother's Day when Spierer flew home from Indiana to New York to surprise her mom.

Alyson Shenker's mother Nancy added that "Lauren was every parent's dream." Shenker, who describes Lauren as one of her best friends since grade school, flew out to Indiana today along with her parents to help with the search for her friend.

Shenker said her friend's disappearance, especially for Spierer's parents, was everyone's "worst nightmare, even worse than you could imagine."

She asked for any help anyone could give and declared, "No one's going to give up."

Lauren Spierer's family is now offering a $100,000 reward for any information leading to the student's safe return, according to CBS affiliate WISH-TV.