ALUMNI IN FOCUS
Remembering Dan O’Neil ’06
He was about as well-rounded as a student can be. Dan O’Neil excelled in the classroom and field research, loved the arts and sports. He was vice president of the Arts Society and a member of the Marquis Players—and
was always playing the guitar.
As Mary Roth ’83, Long Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, put it, “Dan took advantage of everything we have to offer.”
“Through my research with Dan I learned he was a special student and a special person —energetic, passionate, and full of humor. He had interests in music, the arts, the outdoors, and of course, the
Red Sox,” said David Brandes (above right),
associate professor of civil and environmental engineering. “Through our work he became interested
in environmental engineering and hydrology as a
career, and I helped him  apply to Virginia Tech
and other schools.”
After graduating with a B.S. in civil engineering, O’Neil enrolled in a master’s program in environmental engineering on the Blacksburg campus. His life was
cut short in the April 16 shootings.
“Some things simply cannot be made sense of, and in the face of such things we must just acknowledge how fragile human life is and how important our community is to us,” President Daniel Weiss said. “Dan O’Neil
was a dear and integral member of our community.
It is difficult to find words to express the deep sense of loss we all feel. The sympathy of our College family is with this young man’s family in this tragic hour.”
Dan was remembered as a great friend when the campus community gathered with his parents, William and Jeanne, to celebrate his life May 4 in Colton Chapel.
Brandes recounted that O’Neil visited him this winter to talk about his courses and research plans.
“I got the sense he was very happy with his decision to go to graduate school,” Brandes said. “There’s really nothing more fulfilling for a teacher than to hear from a former student like this, and
it demonstrates the depth of Dan’s character. Students often don’t appreciate that education is a two-way street—we learn from them as well. Dan taught me about passion, humor, and appreciation for friendship,
and I want to thank him for teaching me this.”
“Dan was a part of so many
of our favorite stories,” said Maggie Oberrender ’07,
who spoke along with
Tyler Cohn ’06 and Lindsay Hannum ’07. “There were so many unforgettable moments
that we’ll never run out of
stories to tell.”
The songs O’Neil wrote
and posted on web site www.residenthippy.com
have been listened to thousands of times since the tragedy.
The College has established
the Daniel P. O’Neil ’06
Memorial Fund. The focus
of its support will be determined
in consultation with his family.
For information, contact
Deb Rhebergen ’03,
(610) 330-5013.
Julia Pryde, daughter of Harry Pryde Jr. ’69 and his wife, Karen, was also among the victims. Remembered as a talented and accomplished student and a warm, uplifting person, she did her undergraduate work at Virginia Tech, receiving her diploma last May, and was enrolled in a master’s program in biological systems engineering. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Pryde family during this extraordinarily difficult time,” Weiss said.
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