Remembrance Day Held

Marymount University held its annual Remembrance Day on Sunday, honoring a late student known for her generosity of spirit, reflecting on other departed members of the university family and community, and joining together in service to others.

Sponsored by the Student Government Association, the day began with a 10 a.m. Mass of Remembrance in the Sacred Heart of Mary Chapel.

“Mass was a new addition this year, since the event was previously held on Saturdays,” said Christa McMahon, assistant director of the school’s Campus Ministry. “It was a very positive and communal way to kick off the day.”

Afterward, 35 volunteers went to the Lee Center on campus, where they packaged meals for the Chesapeake Branch of the Volunteers of America, which provides substance abuse recovery and homeless services for single adults. A luncheon followed.

The first Remembrance Day occurred 10 years ago, when several classmates of Tara Howard came together in a service project in her memory. A freshman studying graphic design, Tara had been killed that January in a car accident while home on break. She had received numerous awards, including scholarships, for her work with the homeless, the elderly, and abused women.

“There was not a disadvantaged group whom Tara’s heart didn’t go out to,” her obituary read. “There weren’t enough hours in the day for Tara to help. She felt she was blessed and wanted to pass that on.”

Her parents, Bill and Linda Howard of Eldersburg, Maryland, attend Remembrance Day each year. He coined the phrase “Tara-rific” to describe those serving others.

“She made quite an impression during her time on campus,” McMahon said. “Each year it changes a little bit. Each year it grows. This year we remembered others … staff, faculty, friends. It makes it even more special because her legacy is growing.”

Photo captions

Photo 1
Back row, from left: Father Tom Yehl, Dr. Matthew Shank, Grace Caldwell (president of MUSGA), Victoria Stadtmueller, Brandan McCammitt, Katherine Gay, Gordon Baer, Isabella Blecha, Bill Howard, Dr. Vernon Williams. Second Row, from left: April Pasquale, Sanah Munshi, Callie Levinger, Melissa Katella, Catherine Schlichting, Jacqueline Garry, Kassidy Schmidt, Meghan Moreno, Linda Howard. Front row: Grace Shank, Anne Aichele, Sulianys Hernandez, Hansel D’Souza.

Photo 2
Many members of the Marymount University Student Government Association and the Marymount University Women’s Lacrosse Team helped box lunches for the Chesapeake Branch of the Volunteers of America, which provides non-medical detoxification, substance abuse recovery and homeless services for single adults.