VCU news

By Mike Porter

Virginia Commonwealth University and the family of Adam Oakes will host a day to remember Adam’s life and to educate students about the dangers of hazing. “In Remembrance of Adam: Rams Against Hazing” will take place the afternoon of Feb. 27 in the University Student Commons.

Adam was a 19-year-old freshman at VCU when he died on Feb. 27, 2021, due to alcohol poisoning following an off-campus event at a fraternity. Subsequently, VCU permanently banned the fraternity as a registered student organization.

VCU and the Oakes family are committed to fostering a safer and healthier community for students who are part of fraternities and sororities. The day of remembrance is an important part of those efforts.

Members of the media are invited to join the Oakes family and VCU leaders in unveiling a plaque and a bench in honor of Adam Oakes on Feb. 27. Members of the Oakes family will address those gathered at 1 p.m. in the Alumni Board Room followed by the official unveiling outside of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.  Both locations are inside of the University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave., Richmond.

Following the unveiling event, members of the Oakes family will meet privately with members of the VCU community to talk about Adam, share their loss and detail the work of the Love Like Adam Foundation, created to raise awareness about the dangers of hazing. They will also premiere a new hazing prevention training video that tells Adam’s story, designed by VCU in partnership with the Oakes family.

The afternoon will also include hazing prevention interactive activities and resource tables with materials from hazing prevention and support organizations.