A Medgar Evers College dean was among the eight passengers killed in the tragic Amtrak train derailment in Philadelphia on May 12, making the national tragedy a personal loss for many Brooklynites.
Derrick Griffith, the Crown Heights school’s dean of student affairs, was a beloved figure at Medgar Evers and in the community at large, remembered for his compassionate service to his students and his ability to inspire others.
“He was someone that every student could go to,” said student body president Dexter Roberts at a candlelight vigil at the college on Thursday evening. “He was someone who advocated for students when students didn’t have a place to sleep, didn’t have meals. He was a person they could go to and he would ensure they had somewhere to sleep and that they had food.”
Roberts recalled that Griffith once even gave him rent money so that he could afford to stay in school.
An assistant professor said that Griffith had a special connection with the students he served.
“He had a heart for students,” said assistant professor of nursing Juanita Gonzalez, whose class he spoke to the Monday before his tragic death. “He had a heart to help them grow and reach their goals in life.”
The local councilwoman addressed the gathering of mourners at the school, which is part of the City University of New York system, and offered condolences on behalf of the entire Council.
“All 51 members pause today in a moment of silence, because we recognize we have lost someone so beautiful to us who had given so much to the City of New York and to each and every one of you,” said Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo (D–Crown Heights)
Cumbo also praised Griffith’s legacy as at the college.
“With more than ten years of service as an educator, Dean Derrick Griffith has touched the lives of thousands through his passion for learning and the empowerment of our youth,” she said. “The life and legacy of Dean Griffith will always be cherished through his invaluable contributions to the field of education.”
