Instead of celebrating her 21st with the traditional birthday bash, Jade Gardener decided to throw a fundraiser for four students who passed away last year.
Gardener, a Binghamton University senior who is majoring in sociology, human development and nursing, is making history this week as she spearheads the first student-funded scholarship with a fundraising event this Friday.
The scholarship, which Gardener named the “Vision” Scholarship, was inspired by all the students who lost their lives during the 2007-2008 academic year, although she hopes to make this an annual scholarship that will continue for many years.
It’s about “students coming together for a cause and leaving a legacy for years,” Gardener said.
Her story goes back to the fall semester of 2007, when she was a resident assistant and became very close with the freshman class. During the semester, then-freshman Anders “Andy” Uwadinobi died during a consensual boxing match in the dorms.
A good friend of Uwadinobi, Gardener said the news hit home.
“It really shook me,” she said.
Last April, another student, William Gage, who was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and attended BU until the spring of 2007, passed away at a friend’s house in Jericho. At the time, the cause of Gage’s death had not been determined.
Less than two months later, in early May, then-BU senior Willie Poon died in a one-car accident. Poon, who was a member of Lambda Phi Epsilon, was a passenger in a vehicle driven by one of his fraternity brothers when the car struck a tree while heading back from Cornell University.
In addition, Gardener also knew Tyshawn Bierria, who attended State University of Technology at Delhi, and died after he was stabbed on the campus last May.
Gardener created the fundraiser with the help of many individuals and organizations.
She hopes to raise $1,000 for the scholarship, which will either go to one freshman student, or be split — $500 for one student in the fall and $500 for one in the spring.
This scholarship is different from others because it’s not based purely on merit. Rather, students will be writing essays on top of applications and Gardener and other BU students are going to pick the recipients who they feel embody what the scholarship is really about.
“I understand the power of a college education,” she said.
Gardener added that she wants to give someone the opportunity to learn.
Her right-hand man on the project, Anthony Brovchenko, president of Phi Kappa Psi, has been helping to promote the fundraiser by selling advanced tickets and publicizing the event.
“Jade [Gardener] approached me at the beginning of the semester and said she wanted to do something,” he said. “One of the kids who passed was one of my brothers.”
“We hope to raise as much money as possible,” Brovchenko added.
Many individual students helped out with selling tickets and promoting the fundraiser as well. Gardener said she is very excited about the attention the event has been receiving.
“All of these groups coming together is really heartfelt,” she said. “The diversity that night is going to be incredible.”
Mad Moose will host the event. There will be music, and drinks will start at 10 p.m. and last until 3 a.m. for those 21 and over. Non-alcoholic drink specials will be available as well, as organizers want freshmen to enjoy themselves too, Gardener said.
Tickets are $7 for members of specific organizations, which are listed on the flyer, and $8 for everyone else. Tickets will be sold at the New University Union this week. A Facebook group has been made specifically for this event and Gardener’s contact information is available on that page so students can also buy tickets through her.
Gardener wanted to point out what she called the outstanding support she has received from organizations on campus. Members of Omega Phi Beta canceled a previously scheduled event after finding out what Gardener was trying to do.
Gardener and others have worked hard to make this fundraiser a success.
“Long after I graduate, I hope this continues,” she said. “That’s my ultimate goal.”