Sallyportal: Madly Blogging Reed

Bike Co-op Named for Mark Angeles ’15

By Chris Lydgate ’90 on September 08, 2015 05:58 PM

Chemistry major Mark Angeles ’15 cut a distinctive figure on campus. He was killed in a traffic collision 9 days after graduation.

The Reed Bike Co-op was officially renamed today to honor avid cyclist and beloved classmate Mark Angeles ’15, who was struck down in a traffic collision just nine days after he graduated.

Several hundred people gathered in the Quad to witness the moving ceremony and listen to friends, classmates, professors, and staff share their memories of Mark.

“I’m never going to have another friend like Mark,” said Maren Fichter ’15, sounding a theme that reverberated through the occasion.

Mark cut a distinctive figure at Reed. He majored in chemistry and wrote his thesis on the role of organometallic catalysts in neutralizing toxic pollution. He ran the Reed Bike Co-Op and was partly responsible for the installation of the bike maintenance stations on campus. He was deeply committed to serving the community, worked closely with SEEDS, and volunteered as a mentor for underprivileged youth at Lane Middle School. He fixed bikes for free and taught bike safety to kids in northeast Portland. He served as a Paideia czar and sang with Reed’s a cappella group, the Herodotones. He was even a house adviser.

The Herodotones perform Oblivion by Bastille at the ceremony dedicating the bike co-op to Mark Angeles ’15. He used to sing with the group. Photo by Chris Lydgate

Many speakers shared stories demonstrating Mark’s remarkable compassion for other people. How he showed a first-year student around Portland. Brought his thesis advisor tea. Delivered doughnuts to students in chemistry lab. Cheered up a friend by inventing a bicycle variant of Quidditch.

“Mark used the light that came from within to make the world a little brighter,” said his advisor, Prof. Sarah Kliegman [chemistry]. “He knew how to lift up other people’s lives.”

The Herodotones, clad in black, performed a haunting rendition of "Oblivion," by Bastille, arranged by Sierra Swann ’17, as a tribute to Mark.

Reed has established the Mark Angeles Fellowship to support an intern in SEEDS who will continue Mark’s legacy of volunteerism.

Student body president Ashlin Hatch ’17 and vice-president Nick Fiore ’16 officially declared the co-op, located in the basement of Abington, the Mark Angeles Memorial Bike Co-op.

After the ceremony, Mark’s friends led a bike ride around campus in honor of his memory.The Quad was littered with tributes to Mark Angeles.Hundreds of friends and classmates gathered to witness the renaming of the Bike Co-op for Mark Angeles.

 

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