A Campus Grieves

His dependably smiling face brightened their day, but his UT family will never see that signature grin again.

Long-time Sodexho employee Adam Whitehead died last Monday, Oct. 8, after a protracted battle with a long-term illness. His UT family will celebrate the 38-year-old’s life on Wednesday at 8 p.m. at a memorial service in the Vaughn courtyard.

“He’ll go down in UT history as ‘Adam – The Cafeteria Guy’,” says alumnus G.B. Andrews. “But he was so much more than that.”

Though details of his death are still unclear to The Minaret, few people who knew him have any difficulty recalling his life.

He was known throughout the campus as one of the friendliest people around, and was hugely popular among students. A Facebook group entitled “People Who Love Adam, the Cafeteria Guy” was created over a year ago and included nearly 200 members before his death.

Adam was twice awarded the “Unsung Hero Award” at the Student Activities Leadership Awards, most recently in the spring of 2007.

Since his death, the Facebook wall has overloaded with saddened students.

“After seeing him every day, at least three times a day for three, almost four years, he grew to be a part of my family,” wrote UT senior Marc Boults.

“There was something about him, an infectious personality that could turn anyone’s day around,” commented G.B. Andrews. “Adam was one of the most genuine people I’ve ever met.”

According to students, the recollection of Adam as an all around genuine person, especially in a day and age where such a cherished quality is difficult to find, dominates their memories of the beloved cafeteria worker.

Alumni Dan D’Arco notes that it’s “really hard to find people like Adam anymore