Last Friday, Elon University lost former faculty member Alexis Kamerman in an attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. Kamerman served as assistant director of residence life for the East Residence Area from 2012 to 2013.
In June 2013, Kamerman took a job at the American University of Afghanistan. She wanted to inspire young women to seek higher education. Kamerman was to spend three years at the university.
Ashley Pinney, who worked with Kamerman at Elon, told the Chicago Tribune, “She knew she could make a difference there and wasn’t going to let anything stop her from doing that.”
While out to dinner with a fellow faculty member, a Taliban suicide bomber and gunmen attacked the restaurant, killing 21 people. The attack seems tohave been in retaliation to a NATO airstrike that killed several Afghan civilians. The president of the American University of Afghanistan called the violence “senseless.”
In a statement to the Chicago Sun Times, Kamerman’s aunt, Julie Pfeffer, said, “Her death is a shock to us all, and we can’t imagine a moment going forward when she won’t be desperately missed.”
Elon University junior, Alex Caruso, said, “As my advisor in RSA, she really helped guide me and get more involvement with leadership. She is definitely part of the reason why I am co-president of RSA today. It is something I would never have pursued without her. I hope her legacy at Elon is one of a hard-working, loving, and caring individual.”
A Gathering of Friends was held Monday at 6:30 p.m. in Numen Lumen Pavilion to commemorate the 27 year old’s legacy of service and compassion.
In an email, Smith Jackson, vice president for Student Life and dean of students, said, “She had many friends at Elon and was a very engaging and positive-minded professional who championed the ideals of inclusion and respect.”