“Varsity” rang out from the Carillon bells Friday, as part of a memorial service to remember University of Wisconsin students who passed away during the summer and academic school year.
The service, held every year, allows students, family and friends to gather outside the Carillon Tower to commemorate their lives. The memorial service is more than a chance to bring families and students together, but to bring a community together, Kevin Helmkamp, UW associate dean of student life, said.
“It’s a symbolic gathering with the music, we are not just celebrating a life but many lives,” Helmkamp said. “[The service] allows for both an individual [student] honor, as well as a community honor.”
Students being remembered included Maria Luz Ali Ajami, Erik Belanger, Brian Davidson, Isabel Denning, Alexander Fish, Samantha Gilbert, Nicholas Hawkins, Kenneth Luangpoomyut, Zachary Parkin and Craig Schuff, according to a UW statement.
Carillonneur Lyle Anderson played several musical fragments to commemorate the life of each student who had passed, followed by a minute of silence.
Family and students provided each other with comforting words and hugs after the ceremony concluded. Others thanked each other for coming for the service. Families were offered a flower in remembrance of the students.
Though the university can never know the pain of the families that were gathered at the ceremony, Helmkamp said the university felt a great loss.
“Once you are a Badger, you are always a Badger,” Helmkamp said.
