Rice gathers for vigil honoring Andrea Rodriguez Avila

By Riya Misra     8/30/24 2:50am

Rice students and staff paid their respects to Andrea Rodriguez Avila in a candlelight service, held Aug. 28 in the Rice Memorial Chapel. Over a hundred attendees, including Andrea’s family, filled the chapel’s pews while dozens more stood to the side. A second memorial service was held Sept. 3 in the Rice Memorial Center Grand Hall.

The Aug. 28 ceremony, hosted by community faith members, opened with remarks from Provost Amy Dittmar. Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman and Rice University Police Department chief Clemente Rodriguez were also in attendance.

“Lamento mucho tu pérdida,” Dittmar said, addressing Andrea’s family. “We are so very sorry for your loss, and hold you and everyone in your family in our thoughts and in our prayers.”

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Dittmar then spoke about Andrea’s time in Maryland, and her subsequent move to Houston. Upon her arrival at Rice, Andrea “immersed herself in the university” and “excelled in her classes and activities,” Dittmar said. 

“She was a leader who served others,” Dittmar said. “As events chair of the Rice Transfer Student Association, creating a sense of community for all students. As an honor council representative, ensuring our students display the highest level of integrity in their work … As a student ambassador with the Doerr Institute for New Leaders, encouraging other students to live up to their full potential as leaders.

Had Andrea been able to live up to her full potential,” she continued, “there is no telling what she would have accomplished.”

Pastor Jennifer Hope-Tringali then took the floor, leading the chapel in the first prayer of the evening. 

“Gracious God, the loss of life at Rice University has ripped our hearts and torn our souls,” Hope-Tringali said. “Faithful God, surround us with your everlasting arms. Hear our cries of despair, heed our calls for justice and do not let us lose hope. Amen.”

Several other faith leaders — including Tucker Redding, Catholic Student Center director and chaplain, and Kenny Weiss,  executive director of Houston Hillel — then took turns speaking. They offered condolences and led the chapel in prayers and chants, urging for an “end to school shootings and cycles of violences.” After remarks concluded, attendees lined up, placing candles at a memorial in front of the chapel.

The Sept. 3 memorial service opened with a performance from Mariachi Luna Llena, followed by remarks and a prayer from Redding. The service ended with cultural activities presented by HACER, including a painting activity “proposed by Andrea at one of [HACER’s] general body meetings” according to HACER co-president Pamela Duarte.

“The cultural painting activity is to create art that honors Andrea’s Honduran and Spanish heritage, or to paint anything that you feel reflects her beautiful spirit,” Duarte, a Will Rice College senior, said. “Our goal is to unite these mini canvases into a mosaic that will serve as a lasting tribute to her memory.”

Spring Chenjp contributed to this reporting.

[09/04/2024 8:17 p.m.]: This article was updated to include a second memorial service held in Andrea’s honor.

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