By Steven Dlugosz
The loss of a family member can often
be devastating. Buffalo State College is looking to remember
its own deceased “family” members, and thus
is having its “2nd Annual Campus-Wide Memorial Service
for Students, Faculty, and Staff.”
The service, which started last spring, is designed to bring
many people together. Ronald George, who is a member of
the Life Celebration Memorial Service Committee, as well
as at the College Counseling Center at the Weigel Health
Building, says that those in the BSC community who lost
a loved one will feel comforted.
“Remembering everybody at the same time builds community,
as well as providing a sense of closure and recognition
to classmates and faculty who are no longer with us,”
George said.
During the actual event, the following activities will take
place:
- Moment of Silence in remembrance of the deceased.
- “Book of Memories” recording all BSC members
that dies within the least year.
- Special readings of poems and memorials by students, faculty,
alumni and campus ministers.
- Candlelight vigil.
- Bell toll.
- A Buffalo State Music Ensemble performance, including
a bagpiper rendition of “Amazing Grace.”
George, along with Sister Charlene Fontana
of the Catholic Campus Ministry at the Newman Center, as
well as Robert Delprino of the psychology department at
BSC, all make up the Committee for the Memorial Service.
They will be coordinating the event and hope for more student
participation this year, including possible fraternities
or sororities. Sister Fontana feels that this year’s
service should attract more people than last year, mainly
due to the fact that more people know about it now.
“We’re further ahead and know what to do by
putting it out publicly for people to attend-whether they
have lost a loved one or not…The president (Muriel
Howard) and vice president (and) provost (Gary Marotta)
will come and lead example in
the BSC community to show what the event is all about,”
Sister Fontana said.
The exact number of people in the BSC community who have
passed away
during the previous year is difficult to count, but George
noted that the number is at least 150 alumni, 10 faculty
and eight students.
George said that the idea was thought of long ago, and Sister
Fontana noted that the death of a student in an automobile
accident a few years ago really inspired the idea. After
that, the idea was proposed through a religious perspective
from the C.I.S.M. (Critical Incidents for Stress Management)
team to want to remember deceased membersof the BSC community
in a special way. George, Sister Fontana, and Dr. Delprino
thus formed a separate division, or subcommittee of C.I.S.M.
to work with the Counseling Center to coordinate the Memorial
Service. Dr. Delprino is currently the chair of the committee,
George does the Web site and Internet research, and Sister
Fontana does most of the traveling around and social interacting
with people on the BSC campus.
Sister Fontana felt that despite the fairly low turnout
last year, the service “really struck a profound chord
with everybody, with a great feeling that they belong to
this school.”
George links his involvement to this service to his own
personal losses of family members, as well as similar services
in his previous colleges.
“People are brought together and closure is brought.
This now is a way of giving something to Buffalo State….We
want to have this Memorial Service every year, and to have
it be a tradition,” says George.
The 2nd Annual Campus-Wide Memorial Service will take place
in Rockwell Quad on April 22 from 12:15 p.m.-1:30 p.m. Rain
location is in Rockwell Hall.
Additional Links:
For response in sending deceased members’ names:
Georgera@buffalostate.edu
(for sending names of recently deceased BSC members)
For more information on the event from the Newman Center:
http://www.buffalostate.edu/orgs/newmanct/
For more information on the event from the
BSC Weigel Health Center:
http://www.buffalostate.edu/depts/weigel
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