The ETSU Remembers ceremony was held at 10-11 a.m. on Friday, Oct 10 to remember and honor the lives of ETSU faculty and students who passed away between January 2022 and July 2023. The ceremony was held under the bell tower arch and was full of families, friends and community. The purpose of this ceremony is not only to remember these individuals but remind the grieving souls that it is important to come together in times of grief.

The ceremony had a great turnout and contained different speakers such as SGA President, Trent White, who welcomed everyone to the service, along with President Brian Noland, Staff Senate, Joy Fulkerson, Assistant to the President, Nathan Dugger and more. These speakers helped with remarks, condolences and the reading of the names.

“The Faculty Senate President, former Staff Senate President and SGA President read the names of the dead. Then the bells tolled 17 times (one time for each of those who passed away,)” said ETSU Events Coordinator, Claire Shoun.

The ceremony honored different people such as Dr. Tom Townsend, who was an ETSU Family Medicine faculty in Bristol and was also a 2005 Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award recipient. Others such as Chikenia Livingston, Robert Sinko, Clinton Songer and many more were honored.

“In the past, we have held this event in the spring and honored each of the students, faculty and staff who have passed away during the previous calendar year by lighting a candle. This year we moved the ceremony to the fall to be part of Founders Week,” stated Shoun.

The ETSU Remembers ceremony is usually held in the spring, but the significance of holding it during Founders Week was to have the opportunity to help remember the lives that have formed ETSU’s foundation. As the traditions continue, ETSU Remembers will honor students, teachers and faculty who have passed on during the previous school year. This beautiful ceremony will continue and will keep remembering those important names who are sadly no longer with us.

(Contributed/verywellfamily.com)

“The campus joined together for a moment of reflection and remembrance. Together, we honored those who have passed away over the last year and a half, it is now our duty to carry their legacy forward. We came together not only as members of the ETSU community but also as a tight-knit family that cherishes the values at the core of our institution,” said White. 

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