TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama will host a candlelight memorial service for the six UA students who died in the April 27 tornado on Friday, Aug. 5 at 8:30 p.m. on the steps of Gorgas Library. UA President Robert E. Witt, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, and SGA Presidents Grant Cochran (2011-2012) and James Fowler (2010-2011) will speak at the service.
Media who plan to cover the service should be on site by 8 p.m. In addition, for media who would like to get some quotes in advance, there will be a media availability with the SGA presidents at 2 p.m. in front of Gorgas Library.
The memorial service will follow the first of three commencement ceremonies scheduled for Aug. 5-6 to award degrees to more than 4,000 graduates, who were scheduled to participate in both May and August commencement exercises. UA postponed May commencement ceremonies, originally scheduled for May 7, after the EF4 tornado hit Tuscaloosa April 27. Commencement exercises for students receiving graduate degrees will be at 6 p.m., Friday, Aug. 5. Two ceremonies to award undergraduate degrees will be held Saturday, Aug. 6, with students in the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education and Human Environmental Sciences, and the School of Social Work receiving their degrees at 9 a.m. and students in the colleges of Commerce and Business Administration, Communication and Information Sciences, Engineering and Nursing receiving degrees at 2 p.m. The University will award posthumous degrees to the six students who died in the tornado during the 9 a.m. commencement ceremony on Saturday. All ceremonies will be in Coleman Coliseum.
For more information or media parking passes for the memorial service, contact Bill McDaniel (broadcast media), 205/348-8327, bmcdaniel@ur.ua.edu or Cathy Andreen (print media), 205/348-8322, candreen@ur.ua.edu.
Contact
Cathy Andreen, director of media relations, 205/348-8322, candreen@ur.ua.edu or Bill McDaniel, director of broadcast media, 205/348-8327, bmcdaniel@ur.ua.edu