The 6th annual Service of Remembrance was held in B.N. Duke Auditorium Nov. 2 to pay homage to 20 people of the NCCU University family who died over the past year.

Recently-retired Chancellor Julius Chambers started this tradition during his administration. Chambers felt that NCCU’s founder Dr. James Shephard would expect the university to recognize those who have played an active part for the university.   

“The purpose of this ceremony is simple,” said Walter Brown, who presided over the service. “It is to guarantee these individuals a permanent place in the community.”   

Each person remembered is immediately entered into the university’s annals. During the ceremony, family members of the deceased are invited to stand as Robin Hanes or Thomas Scheft gives a short tribute during the roll call. The family and friends of each person stood during each individual tribute.

The committee that organizes the Service of Remembrance includes in the service every NCCU faculty and staff member who died in the last year.

Chancellor James Ammons stood at the beginning of the tributes, and then he stood again at the end as a way of paying tribute to everyone remembered.

The audience was encouraged to attend a catered reception held in the student union directly following the ceremony. Those remembered during the service were: