A memorial service will be held at the University Chapel at 5:30 p.m. today in remembrance of sophomore Alan Ebersole who died in October while swimming in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida with the swim team.
The ceremony will begin with a welcome from Associate Dean of Religious Life Paul Raushenbush, a reading from the New Testament and a response from Psalm 23. Four of Ebersole's teammates will then read the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling.
"It is pretty meaningful to get to speak at this tomorrow," Mike Ott '07 said. "It's such an honor to get to speak at a service to honor such a great guy . . . everyone on the team is very close."
The death of their teammate has been extremely hard for the swimmers, Dean of Religious Life Rev. Dr. Thomas Breidenthal said.
"The death had a very great effect on the swim team," he said. "I think they have shown remarkable maturity and care for one another, but it has clearly been extremely difficult."
Raushenbush agreed. "I think that for the swim team and [Ebersole's] close friends it was a real blow, and there's just been an incredible response to honor his life," he said.
Staff and faculty have also struggled with the death, Breidenthal said, and he hopes the service will help those dealing with the loss.
"There is nothing worse for a university than the loss of a student," he said.
The reading of the poem will be followed by the song "Let It Be," by the Beatles, sung by Alidia Clagett '05. Four of Ebersole's classmates will then give remembrances, including his two roommates.
"The main purpose is for me to give other people a sense of what Alan was like," said Miles Cava '07, one of Ebersole's roommates. He also said he hopes the ceremony will help to achieve a sense of closure in the Princeton community.
The service will also include a speech by Reem Iversen, a lecturer in the Spanish department; an anthem sung by the University Chapel Choir and a final commendation by Thomas Mullelly, director of the Aquinas Institute in the Office of Religious Life.
A reception and buffet dinner will follow in Butler College's Wu Dining Hall.
Read More
GSG approves audit, delays budget approval after ‘insufferable’ meeting
Nikki HanThe final Graduate Student Government (GSG) meeting for the semester lasted more than an hour and a half when discussions over the proposed budget for the next year and a proposed Student Life Fee of $100 turned controversial.
The final Graduate Student Government (GSG) meeting for the semester lasted more than an hour and a half when discussions over the proposed budget for the next year and a proposed Student Life Fee of $100 turned controversial.
Effort to restore chapel’s pews slowly progresses
Ben GoldstonHead carpenter Jim Sullivan has been restoring the Chapel pews over the last year. The dry atmosphere of the Chapel has warped the wooden pews over the years.
Head carpenter Jim Sullivan has been restoring the Chapel pews over the last year. The dry atmosphere of the Chapel has warped the wooden pews over the years.
Metals, molecules, and medicine: chemical biology’s influence on health and sustainability
Aanya KaseraChemistry professor Chris Chang’s lab studies the chemical biology of the elements, specifically examining the roles that copper, iron, and zinc play in biology across all kingdoms of life.
Chemistry professor Chris Chang’s lab studies the chemical biology of the elements, specifically examining the roles that copper, iron, and zinc play in biology across all kingdoms of life.