Three years ago campus was gripped by the tragic killing of international students Chandrasekhar Reddy Komma and Kiran Kumar Allam, and University employees hope this year students will finally find peace.
 
Maureen Hewitt, International Cultural Center manager, said the ICC is partnering with Facility Services to build a memorial garden, fountain and sculpture behind the ICC building. Hewitt said the memorial — named the Komma and Allam Remembrance Garden Fountain — will give students a place to visit and remember the two graduate students who were shot and killed in the Edward Gay apartments in 2007.
 
Hewitt said she thought it was important for the memorial to be a celebration of the students’ lives.
 
Deepmala Agarwal, International Student Association president, said the project began as a memorial dedicated solely to Komma and Allam, but has grown to memorialize University students in general.
 
Dennis Mitchell, campus landscape architect, designed the memorial.
“We felt we should do something to memorialize their lives in a way that was appropriate,” he said.
 
Mitchell said the fountain will be made of recycled glass and stone and a metal globe will sit at the top of the structure.
 
Mitchell said the University School of Art will create the metal globe sculpture, which hasn’t been named yet.
 
Mitchell also said Student Government contributed money to the project to have an area near the lake behind the ICC paved for students to reflect quietly.
 
The first phase of the project, which includes construction on the garden, fountain and reflection area, will cost about $20,000, Mitchell said.
 
Hewitt said the ICC has raised more than $30,000 to fund the project through different events.
 
She said she has also seen a large number of volunteers and people who want to donate plants and greenery instead of money.
 
Hewitt said the next phase of the project will involve more green space in the area, site furniture and an expansion of the garden.
 
Mitchell said he thought the garden would help the ICC become more well known on campus.
 
Mitchell said Facility Services recently hired a contractor to oversee the project and he expects construction soon. The first phase should take about 60 days to complete, he said.
 
“We’d like to see it become a beautiful green space on campus,” Mitchell said. “It’s for the community in general.”
 
Hewitt said she hopes the garden will increase the amount of foot traffic by the ICC and joggers will stop and enjoy it.
 
Agarwal said she thinks it’s important for international students to have a place to meet and share their memories of those who have passed away.
“It gives them a feeling that they’re not alone here,” she said.
 
Hewitt said the ICC has kept in touch with Komma’s and Allam’s families and friends and gives them frequent updates on the project.
 
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Contact Rachel Warren at
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