Campus wide memorial service for students, faculty and staff
By Jordan Iannuzzelli

Buffalo State College's Life Celebration Committee has planned a campus wide memorial service to remember those students, faculty and staff who have died during this academic year and also help everyone involved through difficult times. The service will take place from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30p.m. April 27 in the Rockwell Quad (rain location Rockwell Hall).

Counseling Center Director Joan McCool is on the Life Celebration Committee and the chairperson for Critical Incident Support , which is housed in the counseling center. C.I.S. is one of the groups organizing this year's memorial service. Students, faculty and staff can send the names of those in the BSC family who have died within the last academic year to McCool at the College Counseling Center, 219 Weigel Health Center. They can also e-mail her the names at cousnelingcenter@buffalostate.edu .

“I have already received the names of students and faculty that have died tragically,” said McCool. “I have also received names of BSC alumni who have died within the last few weeks.”

McCool said that memorial service helps all those in the BSC community cope with the loss of someone who is close. She also thinks it makes the community stronger.

“It builds the fabric of our community to come together like this,” said McCool.

McCool expects anywhere from 75 to possibly 200 people to attend the event. She said that the number of people that attended this event last year increased from the first year the event was held, so they expect the same to happen this year. The families of the deceased have been invited to come to the service.

The Newman Center is also heavily involved with the memorial service. Sister Charlene Fontana , who has been with the center for 14 years, has helped to organize the event. Fontana and the center have made the arrangements to get the flowers and the bagpiper for the service.

McCool also said that the event will be “ multi-faced and not just one religion .” During the event the names of the deceased will be read and the people will briefly be talked about by friends and family. There will also be the reciting of prayers and poetry.

To contact Jordan Iannuzzelli, e-mail him at cholejones@aol.com .

Links:

www.buffalostate.edu/depts/counsel

www.buffalostate.edu/bengalnews/
feb0314/memorialservice.htm

www.buffalostate.edu/weigel

www.buffalostate.edu/orgs/newmanct/