During the span of this year, two students who attended USD died suddenly.
Sophomore Dylan Nelson and senior Liz Lias died in separate accidents, and now Karl Giuseffi, chair of the Student and Internal Affairs committee with the Student Government Association, is in charge of finding ways to honor USD students who have passed away while attending USD.
“No one here is a number to us,” Giuseffi said, “Everyone here is an individual with a particular purpose.”
When a student dies, organizations like SGA make memorials to commemorate those who have left the community over the years. A variety of memorials have been scattered across campus, from landscaping to memorial scholarships in honor of certain individuals. Giuseffi says that Student Government is trying to change how student memorials are done.
In the past, plaques have been made for deceased students. Each one cost at least $200. The funding of these plaques are funded by SGA’s general budget.
“That’s something we’re hoping to change,” Giuseffi said, “It’s really difficult to get ahold of the pictures, and you can’t put as many students on (the plaques).”
For now, there is no solid idea on what exactly will be changed about student memorials.
The SGA has been maintaining the student memorials, but they are trying to find out if there are any alternatives.
Giuseffi also mentioned that SGA wants to put the memorials out in the open for the rest of the student body to see. The plaques are currently mounted in the SGA office.
Other students feel that it’s important to have memorials for peers who have passed away.
“I think we all want to be appreciated as human beings,” senior Bryce Johnston said. “Going back to the student memorial, I think that would be a great (payment of) respects to those who have passed on.”
Johnston said memorials that honored deceased students would be significant for other students.
“We make memorials so that people will remember. That’s the purpose,” he said.
Senior Tim Yeaton also supports student memorials.
“I think it’s more or less of a reminder that this school cares about you,” he said. “And if something were to happen to you, then this school would care enough to put up a memorial for you.”
Reach reporter Gabe Mambo at Gabe.Mambo@usd.edu.
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