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Published: 2008-05-11 19:40:00
Updated: 2008-05-11 23:28:19

Slain UNC student honored at graduation ceremony


UNC
UNC
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 A page in memoriam about slain University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Student Body President Eve Carson appeared in Sunday’s commencement program.

About 15,000 people attended the Kenan Stadium ceremony, shortened due to a rain.

For many graduates, however, it was a bittersweet celebration as Carson, who would have been among those graduating, was remembered. Carson, of Athens, Ga., was found shot to death March 5 in a street near campus.

“We wish she could be here with us, but we know that she's looking over us. We just want to show her that we love her and show something that represents her,” graduate Nikita Peoples said.

Some students wore a remembrance pin in honor of Carson on their graduation robes.

“I think everybody has their own little way of remembering her by. You know, she probably was here in spirit,” graduate Chase Lowrance said.

“Eve had such an impact on everybody's life out here,” Peoples said.

The university awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree with the highest distinction to the 22-year-old senior.

Senior Class President Ashley Shores also spoke of Carson during her remarks to the audience.

“I consider myself enormously privileged to have known and worked with Eve Carson, our beloved class member, student body president and friend,” Shores said.

Demario James Atwater, 21, and Laurence Alvin Lovette Jr., 17, are each charged with first-degree murder in Carson's death.

  • Reporter: Erin Coleman
  • Photographer: Chad Flowers
  • Web Editor: Minnie Bridgers

21 Comments


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wakemom - I understand better now your point about the media. However, I honestly don't think it is an intentional effort to exclude anyone - I think it is just a function of the fact that UNC is a larger university than the others you mentioned. Larger schools get more media attention than smaller ones in most aspects, not just students that die. This is not a measurement of how important individual students are, it's simply how the media works. Unfortunately, our society tends to put a lot of stock in the media, but if we let them determine our own worth, we are doing nothing but selling ourselves short.

alo look at the slide presentation for the triangle colleges. why arent there any pictures from nccu, st aug, and shaw? those kids are part of the triangle college graduates. always left out. poor kids!

carolinagirl28, i agree with what you're saying. however, the media is who i am talking about. i am sure all schools did the samething. yet, we only hear of this on tv and then on and on about the killers. my point is why come wral and others wasnt stationed out at the other graduations doing the same type of news coverage? better yet the same type of respect for ALL the schools and ALL the students period

I never met Eve Carson, but I do believe she was an incredible person.

I think that it was only fitting that UNC honor the Student Body President at the time of graduation.

Anytime that someone that was influential to the school is lost, it is common sense that something be done to honor them.

Maybe some of you would like to tell those that were touched by Eve Carson, or maybe even tell her parents that they should just "get over it."

where are the other stories about the nccu graduates or the media being at their graduation ceremony that have passed away? wakemom

There were stories over the weekend about all of the area colleges. Did those universities have a portion of the ceremony which remember students that died during the school year? Just wondering. If the schools didn't mention it than why should WRAL? Not a fan of roses

what if it was mentioned during their ceremony even if it was just a moment or silence; yet their death didnt get as much attention as this one then what?? this isnt the first time something like this has even happened before. i am not saying that her family should just move on. i am talking about how this is still in the news and not everybody elses. that is what i am saying.

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