Former student honored with degree

by Benjamin Roode
Senior Campus Writer

Ohio University officials and loved ones honored the memory of a former OU student yesterday as OU President Robert Glidden awarded Amanda Brown Cartee with a posthumous associate of arts degree.

Cartee, who was killed in a car accident on Feb. 22, 2000, was a student in OU’s University College, working for a bachelor’s degree in education, said Bill Kimok, university records manager and Cartee’s former supervisor in the Archives and Special Collections department at Alden Library.

Kimok heard about a possible degree for Cartee last summer and quickly moved to see if she could qualify, he said.

“She didn’t have enough credits for a full bachelor’s degree,” Kimok said. “ But she had enough for an associate’s.”

Cartee wanted to teach English to middle and high school students, Kimok said.

Glidden addressed Cartee’s friends and family Sunday at a ceremony in her former workplace, the library archives department.

“She was a good person with a bright future of service ahead of her,” Glidden said. “Her loss has been devastating to all who knew her.”

Glidden then presented Cartee’s degree to her mother Ronale Brown Mitchell. Through tears, Mitchell thanked Glidden and the university.

“I honestly believe Amanda would say education was the most important thing in a person’s life,” she said. “I’m honored and proud … to be here today to honor her hard work, dedication and accomplishments.”

Mitchell said she was surprised when she heard her daughter would be awarded a degree.

“I’m very, very proud of her,” she said. “I didn’t expect anyone would do this to honor her. She worked very hard to accomplish her dream.”

Those that worked with Cartee remembered her as being dedicated to her work and studies at OU.

Janet Carleton, digital projects librarian at Alden, said along with her love for academics, Cartee was an all-around good person.

“I never heard her say one bad thing about anybody,” Carleton said. “That’s just the way Amanda was.”

Her former supervisor said Cartee showed her dedication by never missing work.

“She really stood out,” Kimok said.