Students at Hampton University experienced a range of emotions this past Halloween. While they primped and pressed their costumes, they also mourned the death of one of their own. Joseph Kevin Bose, 20, was a native of Fairfax County, Virginia, and a beloved student at Hampton University.

According to a report by ABC News, in the early hours of Halloween day, Norfolk Police responded to a reported shooting near the campus of Old Dominion University. The police found a man with a gunshot wound, who was later identified as Joseph Bose. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Hampton University psychology student Averi Collins says, "I just couldn't believe it when I read his name in a news story....all I could think about was how excited his mother was for him to go to her alma mater, he seemed excited, too!"

Hampton University held a memorial service for the Bose family, students, faculty, and friends to memorialize one of our dear Hamptonians. Brett Pulley, Dean of Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications and the Bose family friend, invited everyone to their feet to give Joseph’s life a standing ovation. He then went on to share some of his favorite memories of Joseph, and how we have to stand tall in a fallen world.

Hiro Morris, a senior at Hampton University and Joseph’s cousin, made an address to the friends of Joseph, and other mourning students. Fighting back tears, Morris manages to say, “Stick together…do it for Joe!”

Although, I personally did not know Joe that well, I always found him as a comforting familiar face in the sea of students at Hampton University. It was that kind of thing when you can’t remember where you met a certain person from, but you definitely recognize them. Regardless of where we would bump into each other on campus, we always exchanged friendly “hello’s,” and “head nods.” From the few interactions we shared, I could tell that he was a sweet person with a kind heart.

Joseph Bose’s spirit continues to live on through students here at Hampton University, while we continue to pursue excellence and achieve our wildest dreams.

This article is dedicated to the late Joseph Kevin Bose, and the entire Bose family. You are forever in our hearts.