‘Constellation Garden’ memorial to be dedicated with April 30th remembrance

As part of UNC Charlotte’s annual Day of Remembrance, on Friday, April 28, the University will dedicate a permanent campus memorial to honor two students who lost their lives, those who suffered physical injuries and everyone present in Kennedy Building, Room 236, on April 30, 2019, the date of a shooting on campus.

The memorial, installed on the verdant plaza leading to Kennedy’s entrance, will be dedicated at 3 p.m., April 28. The ceremony will include the annual wreath-laying led by the Police and Public Safety Department. All members of the UNC Charlotte community and the general public are invited to attend.

Designed as a “constellation garden,” the structure’s design follows the orientation of the stars above the building on April 30, 2019. The memorial’s arched framework will serve as a campus gathering place. Contributing to a tone of reflection and contemplation are stone benches etched with the names of Riley Howell and Reed Parlier, who were tragically killed, and Rami Alramadhan ’23, Sean DeHart ’21, Emily Houpt ’19 and Drew Pescaro ’22, who were injured.

“In 2019, UNC Charlotte made a promise to all the victims and their families to never forget those who suffered and lost so much,” said Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber. “This memorial, which truly captures Riley Howell’s love of nature and Reed Parlier’s passion for technology, forever imprints their presence on Niner Nation, and offers a place of solace for all those affected by the events of April 30. The constellation garden’s location in the heart of our beautiful campus offers a daily reminder for students, faculty, staff and visitors of Niner Nation’s resounding resilience.”

The memorial was designed by TEN x TEN Landscape Architecture and Urbanism, Hypersonic Collaborative and Susan Hatchell Landscape Architecture. The group’s submission was selected from four finalists and a total of 36 entries from local and national design teams. The memorial process was initiated by the Niner Nation Remembrance Commission, appointed by Chancellor Emeritus Philip L. Dubois shortly after the April 30 shooting. Their recommendations led to the work of the Memorial Jury, chaired by Brook Muller, dean of UNC Charlotte’s College of Arts + Architecture, which managed the design submission and selection process.

For more information about 2023 Day of Remembrance events, visit NinerNationRemembers.