About 50 George Washington students, faculty members and student veterans gathered in Veterans Park Thursday evening to honor Patrick Casey, an Elliott School of International Affairs graduate student and U.S. Army veteran who died in late September from injuries sustained during an off-campus incident.
“We are all part of the same institution and part of the same family here,” said George Washington President Steven Knapp. “We remember Patrick as someone who heroically served his nation and therefore defended all of us, and we will cherish his memory and always regret that we didn’t get a better chance to know him while he was among us. We will keep his family very much in our hearts and a part of the George Washington University community.”
Ashley Andrews, president of the Graduate Student Forum, a student group within the Elliott School, spoke about the impression Mr. Casey made upon her when she met him at an accepted students event last spring.
“It sounds silly, but I remember just wanting to be his friend right away, because he was so full of life,” she said.
Ms. Andrews said that in the short month in which Mr. Casey was an Elliott School student, he made impressions upon almost everyone he met. After his death, many students told her about insightful conversations they’d had with Mr. Casey, both in class and at TNO, a weekly happy hour for Elliott School graduate students. “We all feel this loss, as members of the Elliott School of International Affairs community. But we’re also fortunate to have this sort of community, because it means that as much as we hurt together, we’ll heal together.”
Father Greg Shaffer, chaplain of the Newman Catholic Student Center, read from scripture and offered a blessing for Mr. Casey. Mark Gaspar, a lecturer in the Elliott School who taught Mr. Casey in a writing course, shared his memories from the first few weeks of the semester.
“[Patrick] was a delightful student, a superb addition to the George Washington University,” Mr. Gaspar said. “Energetic, engaged and warm-spirited, he demonstrated a gifted intellect and a heartfelt involvement with his fellow students. His keen understanding of complex issues was underpinned by a buoyant personality. Physically, Patrick was a very large man. But it was his spirit that filled the room.”
Adam Howard, an adjunct professor of history and international affairs, said that while he didn’t get the chance to know Mr. Casey well, he was impressed by his engagement and interest in the class material. “I remember thinking, ‘This is going to be one of those students I can count on, every week during seminar, to be fully engaged.’”
A uniformed bugler played “Taps” to close the ceremony while the sun sunk over the assembled crowd.
“After this memorial service is over, we must remember to continue to embrace this sense of community,” Ms. Andrews said. “Patrick certainly did.”