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The Daily OrangeCampus faces loss of 'endearing' student
By Daniel Bortz
Posted: 10/30/08, 3:14 AM EST Section: News
Though he only had a bachelor's degree, Waggoner worked with five Earth sciences professors in Papua, New Guinea last January on an important research project. It involved the study of rocks in the area, and Waggoner used various techniques to date the rocks.
The project, funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, is led by Suzanne Baldwin, an Earth sciences professor and Waggoner's academic adviser.
Baldwin said in her brief time spent with Waggoner, she saw he possessed great potential to be a top analyst, both in the field and in the lab.
"Alec was an incredibly gifted graduate student, with an endearing personality and a very bright career ahead of him," Baldwin said in an e-mail. "He'll also be remembered for his big smile and the twinkle in his eyes."
Waggoner's funeral will be held Friday in his hometown of Beloit, Kan. Fitzgerald said he and fellow Earth sciences faculty plan to attend the service. The Earth Sciences Department also plans to hold its own memorial service for Waggoner at SU within the next few weeks, Fitzgerald said.
Department Chair Karson and Fitzgerald agreed that Waggoner made a valuable contribution to the Earth sciences program, as well as to the entire SU community.
Outside the Earth Sciences Department, SU students from other programs said they too feel damaged by Waggoner's loss.
"Alec's death makes me feel more cautious for my surroundings," said Millie Fung, a sophomore marketing and psychology major. Fung said she did not know who Waggoner was before he died.
"The fact is it can happen to anybody at any time," she said.
Karson said students can take away an important lesson from this tragedy.
"Every day is a gift, and you have to treat life that way," he said. "Bad things happen to good people, and you have to take care of your own life and take care of the people around you. You just don't know what's going to happen day by day."
dsbortz@syr.edu
The project, funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, is led by Suzanne Baldwin, an Earth sciences professor and Waggoner's academic adviser.
Baldwin said in her brief time spent with Waggoner, she saw he possessed great potential to be a top analyst, both in the field and in the lab.
"Alec was an incredibly gifted graduate student, with an endearing personality and a very bright career ahead of him," Baldwin said in an e-mail. "He'll also be remembered for his big smile and the twinkle in his eyes."
Waggoner's funeral will be held Friday in his hometown of Beloit, Kan. Fitzgerald said he and fellow Earth sciences faculty plan to attend the service. The Earth Sciences Department also plans to hold its own memorial service for Waggoner at SU within the next few weeks, Fitzgerald said.
Department Chair Karson and Fitzgerald agreed that Waggoner made a valuable contribution to the Earth sciences program, as well as to the entire SU community.
Outside the Earth Sciences Department, SU students from other programs said they too feel damaged by Waggoner's loss.
"Alec's death makes me feel more cautious for my surroundings," said Millie Fung, a sophomore marketing and psychology major. Fung said she did not know who Waggoner was before he died.
"The fact is it can happen to anybody at any time," she said.
Karson said students can take away an important lesson from this tragedy.
"Every day is a gift, and you have to treat life that way," he said. "Bad things happen to good people, and you have to take care of your own life and take care of the people around you. You just don't know what's going to happen day by day."
dsbortz@syr.edu
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