A memorial service for Elon student Thomas Barnett has been scheduled for 3 p.m., Sunday, July 1 in Chapel Hill. Details...
The service will be held at United Church of Chapel Hill, 1321 Airport Rd. All members of the Elon community are invited to attend. Thomas died at his home in Chapel Hill June 5.
During
the Baccalaureate service on May 18, President Lambert presented Thomas
with the Elon Medallion, which is awarded at the discretion of the
president to members of the university community who have rendered
loyal and meritorious service to Elon. Thomas is the first student ever
to receive the Elon Medallion.
The
award citation read in part: “Blessed with a brilliant mind, a
near-photographic memory, and superb writing skills, Thomas could be
successful in any number of fields. However, he continued to pursue his
dream of a career as a graphic designer and elected to major in digital
art. The faculty of the Elon art department variously describe Thomas
as ‘phenomenal,’ ‘meticulous,’ and ‘relentless,’ setting high standards
for himself and insisting that his artistic vision be represented
exactly.”
In addition to stellar success in his academic
endeavors, Thomas was a leader in the campaign for public accessibility
awareness. He served as technical advisor to the University of North
Carolina ACCESS Project, an assessment of wheelchair accessibility on
the sixteen UNC campuses. Thomas provided similar advocacy at Elon,
reminding the university of its responsibility to make the campus
accessible to everyone.
In October of his senior year, Thomas
suffered a heart attack and stroke that prevented the continuation of
his studies. Thomas suffered from Friedrich’s Ataxia, a disease that
causes progressive damage to the nervous system.
Condolences may be sent to his parents: Paige and Bill Barnett, 307 N. Elliott Rd., Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514. Thomas
and his family have requested that memorials be sent to the
Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA), P.O. Box 1537,
Springfield, Va. 22151.