Georgetown students and faculty held two services yesterday for Terrance Davis (COL ‘10), who went missing on Monday after a giant wave knocked him into the ocean in Harkerville, South Africa.
Davis, a theater and performance studies major, was active in several activities at Georgetown, including the Gospel Choir and the Black Theater Ensemble. This semester he was studying abroad at the University of Capetown. Davis was struck by the wave while on vacation with Ellie Gunderson (COL ‘10), and South Africa’s National Sea Rescue Institute told the University that Davis is “missing and presumed dead,” according to an e-mail sent to students.
A ceremony held yesterday afternoon in the St. Williams Chapel on the first floor of Copley Hall was attended by about 50 people.
“Brother Terrance was a lively person,” Reverend Constance Wheeler, Georgetown’s Protestant Chaplaincy Director, said. She encouraged the people in the church to clap their hands and make a “praise offering. (https://tomadamswc.com) ” Wheeler said she was flying to Arkansas to see Davis’ family.
She was followed by Father Patrick Rogers, S.J., who read from Paul’s letter to the Romans. After Rogers’ reading, people broke into small groups and talked about their experiences with Davis.
“Every time I was down, his energy would overflow me,” Enoch Bevel (COL ‘08) said.
The evening service on Copley Lawn included more small group discussions and Father Phillip Burroughs read another passage from Romans.
“Terrance is a man of committed faith and radiant hope,” Burroughs said.
Several University administrators attended the services, including President John DeGioia and Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson, who knew Davis through Davis’ work at the Center for Multicultural Equity and Access.
“[Davis] always brought joy to my day,” Olson said. “He made this community richer just by being with us.”
Many of Davis’ friends attended the services, including Niara Phillips (COL ‘09), who met Davis when they both worked on BTE’s The Gospel at Collonus in 2006.
“It’s surreal,” Phillips said. “I keep thinking I’m going to hear his voice.”
