Memorial set in place for Nina Gilbert

Family, friends and faculty gathered around the university quadrangle August 6 to attend the memorial for Nina Lynette Gilbert, whose life was taken in a car accident on I-10.

Professor Diane Hall, director of high school and community college relations at the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication held the memorial service honoring Gilbert.

Last summer Gilbert, who was 21, was killed in a tragic car accident while on her way back to Tallahassee from Gainesville.

Professor Diane Hall put the memorial together in honor of her student. Gilbert, a broadcast journalism student, was enrolled in Hall’s class the summer she passed.

At the memorial, Hall expressed how grateful she was to have had such an exceptional student as Gilbert in her class.

Though the dark clouds hung over the crowed, faces still shined bright as Gilbert’s mother, students, professors, staff and family came to express their feelings about Gilbert.

Raymond Love, 20,a fourth-year public relations student from Miami, said he felt as though the service was a good way to remember Gilbert’s life.

“I felt like this service [was] a nice gesture. It was good [that] they recognized a student a year after her passing and they were able to lay bricks for her,” said Love.

Love also expressed how excited he was that her mother could make it from Chicago.

University President James Ammons, awarded Gilbert’s family with a certificate of attendance and also a memorial brick, which was placed in front of the university quadrangle.

Ammons also said how sad it was to lose a Rattler but how her spirit will forever live in our hearts.

 “Initially the Chicago club was supposed to put the memorial together but they weren’t able to do it, so I and professor Keith Miles decide to put it on,” said Hall.

Professor Miles donated the brick that is placed in front of the journalism building. Gilbert’s mother and aunt traveled from Chicago to take place in the service. Gilbert’s mother Sharon Gilbert, said how thankful she was for all the support she was getting from the school.

Sharon Gilbert also talked about how her daughter’s spirit will continue to live on.

“Nina’s life was cut short but she will forever be live on in our hearts and mind,” said Leontyne Mason, 21, a fourth-year broadcast journalism student from Deland, Fla.

Mason also said that the program was very well put together and a great way to remember Gilbert’s life.

Two bricks were donated in honor of Gilbert’s life; one was placed in front of the eternal flame and the other in front of the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication.