The memorial service for Ming Ming Hao (GRAD), a student in the Department of Computer Science, was held Wednesday at Harlan Chapel. Ming died on Feb. 22. She was 29. "No one ever gets used to this type of service," Assistant Dean of Student Rev. Nathaniel Mays said during the memorial. "No matter how many times you do it, you never get used to it."

First to speak was Prof. Tim Hickey, chair of the Computer Science department. He spoke of how he met Ming two years ago when she was a teaching assistant for one of his classes. Hickey described her as being tenacious, strong, self-willed and very helpful. He also mentioned that Ming was to receive her Master's degree later this semester and that this loss was felt throughout the department.

Next was Elissa Jubelier (GRAD), vice president of the Graduate Student Association (GSA). Jubelier recalled that Ming had been a volunteer for the GSA Orientation.

"She was the only person who volunteered that was not on staff." Jubelier said. "She had a cheerful outlook on life that made it a pleasure to work with her."

A few of her fellow classmates went up to express their thoughts about Ming as well.

"I always admired the passion with which she said her ideas." John Langton (GRAD), a classmate of Ming's said.

He also gave a glimpse into the Ming's social life. "I remember how we used to sneak into the conference room and watch movies all night."

Following Langton, Roser Sauri Colomer (GRAD), another one of Ming's colleagues, read a poem that reminded her of Ming entitled "It is when I sleep is when I see you." She read the poem in its original language, Hebrew.

After Colomer, Richard Brabander (GRAD) spoke about how once he had met Ming, they bonded immediately because of their love for Macintosh computers and distaste for Windows. They would talk in excess, he said, about the intense amount of PCs on campus and how they wish there were more Macs. He and a few others also commented on Ming's unique style, which was always colorful and bright.

After that there was a brief break where anyone in the crowd could come up and share a memory about Ming and the time while she was here. Graduate students Dan Greisokh, Nick Chubrich and David Wittenberg went up during this time and gave more insight into the kind of person she was.

Greisokh discussed her photographs and the wonderful work she produced, while Chubrich told a story about how she came into a computer cluster while he was working there one time, wearing jeans with bells on the bottoms of them.

"I like my quiet and she came in with these jeans with bells on the bottoms and said 'I wore them just to annoy you,'" Chubrich said. "She expressed the secret desire, 'I had to stand out.'"

Wittenberg told another story about Ming from when she was at work.

"The walls and everything [were] so white and Ming Ming always liked to draw elaborate and colorful pictures on her white board," Wittenburg said. "One day we all arrived to find colored pictures on all of our white boards. Hundreds of origami cranes were everywhere."

Wittenberg mentioned how beautifully and differently she was always dressed. "I miss her greatly," he said.

Next, David Elwell, the director of International Students and Scholars Office commented on how difficult it was to be an international student at an American university and how Ming excelled at that challenge.

"She exemplifies what I hope everyone here tries to do which is look out of their own cubicle and meet others, step outside the box, go against the grain and use a Mac," Elwell said.

Another classmate, Antonella Di Lillo (GRAD) talked about Ming's artistic talents and how she even felt touched by her very presence.

"To be able to see the world through the eyes of an artist is a wonderful thing and Ming Ming was very blessed to be able to do that," Di Lillo said.

Boris Kerzner (GRAD) was the last student to speak at the memorial service. He recalled how her clothing was always bright and jovial, and that she always had something witty to say during class.

The last speaker at Ming's memorial was Jessica Basile, the coordinator of graduate student services. Basile mentioned that although she did not know Ming very well, she knew that while Ming had volunteered for the GSA Orientation she displayed a happy and energetic attitude.

Mays gave brief closing remarks before a slide show of Ming's photography was shown.

When asked about how her parents were dealing with the loss, Mays replied, "They said that the most important thing for them is to learn about her life here and the memories her friends have about her.