Office of Student Life
Celebrates Black History Month
-A Family of Artists Brings
to Campus “The Healing Force”
A celebration of African culture through story-
The Lion's Eye
February 6, 2006
Student Fondly Remembered
By SHARON ACHILLES
Lion's Eye Staff Writer
saal 92@psu.edu
For His “Burning Love Of Life”
Colin Fitzpatrick, 18, of West Chester and stu-
dent at Penn State Delaware County, died Jan. 30
following an auto accident on Route 202.
Colin graduated in 2004 from Unionville High
School, where he served as captain of the ice hock-
ey team.
Colin's oldest sister, Cara, said "he was a huge
Toronto Maple Leafs fan, not the Flyers. He was a
huge fan of life."
"Colin was the funniest person in the world, no
joke," she said.
At PSU-Delaware County, Colin was an honor
student and planned to become a teacher.
Pat O' Brien, who worked with Colin in the PSU
Writing Center, said he was a conscientious student
and "a fine human being." O'Brien recalled that
Fitzpatrick enjoyed teaching him about hockey.
"He would have made a wonderful teacher,"
said O'Brien. "What I will always remember about
Colin is his genuine warmth and kind spirit. He is
the kind of person you never forget and I won't."
Dr. Adam J. Sorkin, professor of English,
shared his memories of Fitzpatrick as a student in
his class, Reading Poetry (English 263.)
" ...I was very impressed with his outgoing
attitude and infectious enthusiasm. His abilities too,
caught my eye," Sorkin said.
Sorkin contributed an anecdote that he thinks
speaks of Fitzpatrick's character: "I remember what
a good sport he was about volunteering to read
aloud in class, a James Stephens poem. Nor was
Colin daunted by the request to read it with an Irish
brogue."
"(He had) such a burning love of life...a terrible
shame that it had to be snuffed out this way." -
Since the age of five, Colin spent his summers
at Camp Tygart in Huntonville, West Va.. When he
was older, he served as a counselor there. His sister,
Cara, said the camp was his passion.
"He was a great, great singer," Cara said,
adding that he made rap CDs in his spare time.
Students from Penn State and numerous uni-
versities poured out their grief with other friends of
Fitzpatrick on the website facebook.com.
Photo Courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. Fitzpatrick
Colin Fitzpatrick , a Freshman honor student,
passed away last week.
Mandy Mellon, Penn State wrote, "I just wanted
to say that I miss you so much and I know you will
always be looking down on me...watching like my
big brother...I have just been thinking about all the
good times and 1 still kind of can't believe this all
really happened but I'm hanging in there and 1
think of you every minute of every day."
Stephanie Walsh, Penn State wrote, ” Colin., you
really were a great guy who loved life and was by
far one of the funniest people I will ever meet. You
touched so many lives, and I was one of them, I will
never forget you and the memories you have given
me....I only wish I had more. You will be missed."
Elizabeth Larkin, Penn State wrote, "Colin, I miss
you... a lot! The only highlight about going to math
was sitting next to you.... You were an amazing
math tutor! Hope to see you when my journey
comes my way. Peace and love."
Colin is survived by his parents, Gale M.
Dougherty Fitzpatrick and Patrick J. Fitzpatrick,
two sisters, Cara M. Fitzpatrick and Gillian. M.
Fitzpatrick. A funeral mass was held on Feb. 4. at
Maximllan Kolbe Church, Route 202.
Donations in his memory may be made to Camp
Tygart/Youth Ministry, P.O. Box 230, Wheeling,
WV 26003.
telling and music takes place on Feb. 9 at 11:30
a.m, Classroom Building Lounge.
-USB Breakdancers Perform
A spectacular show filled with acrobatic stunts
and dances moves to a blend of disco, funk, hip-
hop, and more comes to comapus on Feb. 14. at
11:30 a.m.
-Film “The Untold Story Of Emmet Louis Till”
On Feb. 20 and 22. at 12:30 p.m. the film will be
shown in the Classroom Buling, Room 101.
-BSL Holds Soul Food Fest
Students are invited to enjoy the African
American cuisine on Feb. 28. at 11:30 a.m.in the
Classroom Building Lounge.
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Bone Woman Shares Destiny With Delco
Bone Woman from Page 1
However, her dream suddenly became a night-
mare when she encountered the hundreds of bodies
in Africa and Europe. She still maintained a sense
that she was fulfilling her destiny by reaching out to
the dead and by doing so help to comfort the fami-
lies they left behind. 2
"I never questioned what I was doing there. I
was tremendously happy and fulfilled to be helping
in the field. I only realized after the fact how many
dangerous situations our teams got into on mis-
sions," she said.
As a result of her journeys into the real world,
Koff has dedicated herself to a new project. She calls
it the "Missing Persons Identification Resource
Center" (MPID). It is a non-profit organization based
in California that, she hopes, will be able to help find
the remains and identify an estimated 100,000 miss-
ing persons in the United States.
"We will work with their families to draw up a
true anthropological profile that can be submitted to
law enforcement," Koff said, adding that the initia-
tive is still in the planning stages.
Despite what she has seen in her work, Koff is
convinced that humanity is capable of overcoming
the practice of murder and genocide.
"I believe every human being is capable of mak-
ing the other choice which is to resolve conflict
through means that do not involve murder," she said,
adding that the timeline for such an abolishment is
impossible to predict but that it is indeed possible
and that's what's important.
As part of a promotion tour for her U.S. project
Koff will pay Penn State Delco a visit on Thursday
April 13. She will host a gathering during common
hour from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. where she will read
excerpts from "The Bone Woman," talk about her
experiences and answer questions about her and the
field she works in. :
There will also be a special book-signing event in
the Classroom Building lounge.