Arielle Anderson, Brian Fraser and Alexandria Verner, three victims who died because of the mass shooting on MSU's campus, will receive posthumous bachelor's degrees from Michigan State University.
The university is still in the process of determining exactly what degree each of the victims will receive, deputy spokesperson Dan Olsen said. Posthumous degrees are awarded at the request of the college's dean. The dean makes a request to the provost who works with the registrar's office to evaluate and award the degree.
"Michigan State University is honored that Arielle Anderson, Brian Fraser, and Alexandria Verner chose to be Spartans," interim provost Thomas Jeitschko said in a statement. "We will honor their legacies and recognize their commitment to Spartan values by awarding them posthumous bachelor’s degrees in their chosen fields of study this spring.”
Olsen said the timeline on when the degrees will be awarded hasn't been finalized, but the process has been started and all three victims will be receiving a degree. Posthumous degrees are normally awarded to the family on their student's behalf and the recipient is generally honored at the commencement ceremony of the semester the degrees were awarded in.
"Alexandria, Arielle, and Brian will forever be Spartans," Board of Trustees chair Rema Vassar said in a statement. "We’ve heard the heartfelt stories of their aspirations, their selfless dedication to their peers and communities, and their commitment to academic excellence. Simply put, awarding each of them a bachelor’s degree is the least we can do to honor their families, commemorate their legacies, and commend their contributions to our Spartan community.”
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