A tree was planted between Fisher and Gerlach Halls in the College of Business’ quad in memory of Chase Meola. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
On the Fisher College of Business’ quad lies a growing black gum tree where the words “In memory of Chase Meola, Class of 2021” are imprinted on a wooden post.
Anil Makhija, the dean of Fisher, said after months of planning, the college’s faculty worked together to plant a memorial tree for Meola in late April. He said planting the tree close to the 2021 commencement — a time when the pain of losing Meola would be heightened — was the community’s way of keeping his memory alive.
“What I hope it says is that we are a family, and when such a loss occurs, we grieve, and we don’t forget such losses either,” Makhija said.
Chase Meola, a fifth-year in marketing, was shot and killed in October 2020 after an altercation turned fatal near the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity on East 14th and Indianola Avenues. Hundreds attended a vigil outside of the William Oxley Thompson statue on the Oval to celebrate Meola’s life the next day.
Makhija said faculty from Fisher spoke with Chase Meola’s friends, classmates, educators and advisors who described him as the “kind of person who would light up a room, someone who was caring, was always there for others, who lifted people up and always lent a helping hand.”
Makhija said the decision to plant the tree came soon after Meola’s death because the loss was painful for many in the community. He said he contacted Meola’s family to let them know of the plan, ensuring the memorial would be available when the family visits campus in the future.
Margaret Meola, Chase Meola’s mother, said he loved Ohio State and she’s grateful for the university’s efforts to keep her son’s memory alive.
Chase Meola was awarded a posthumous Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at the spring 2021 commencement.
“Receiving a degree from the Fisher School of Business and having his name immortalized on the Ohio State campus is a fitting tribute to the man he was, and yet is an unfortunate reminder of the man he was destined to become that we will never get to see,” Margaret Meola said.
Margaret Meola said the family chose not to attend commencement but plans to visit the memorial in the future and connect with Chase Meola’s friends when COVID-19 restrictions ease and their grief lessens.
Stephen Moore, Fisher’s director of facilities and learning environments, said Makhija’s team contacted him in October to create the memorial and suggested a tree — a precedent set by the death of Jason Gervais, a student in the Fisher College of Business who was struck and killed by stray bullets outside of a club in 2002.
Makhija said in addition to the tree for Chase Meola, there are two other memorials located in the courtyard — one for Gervais and another for Larry Wallington, a building services manager who was shot and killed in 2010 when an employee fired at his bosses in the middle of a shift after learning he was losing his job.
Ohio State’s Chadwick Arboretum and Learning Gardens donated Chase Meola’s memorial tree, which matches the other trees on the quad, Makhija said.
Makhija said Chase Meola’s tree is purposely placed in the center of Fisher’s quad in order to remind students that the Fisher community cares about them.
“They would, I hope, get a sense of caring that we share at Fisher at Ohio State,” Makhija said. “This tree will remind us that we are all one big family.”
