In the memory of their faculty member Dr. Stephen Lefevre, CSU Channel Islands (CI) students have organized an inaugural Relay for Life.

CI students will be organizing the relay on March 2 and 3 to benefit the American Cancer Society and to raise maximum funds for the noble cause.

Dr. Stephen Lefevre was a political science professor and Associate Vice-President of Academic Programs & Planning at the institute. He unfortunately died due to cancer in September last year at the age of 67. The event will also see Lefevre’s wife and family, who have been specially invited to speak at the Relay as part of “Team Steve”.

“Dr. Lefevre was a pioneer on our campus who helped build CI into the close, collegial community it is today”, said Ms. Veronica Palafox, a CI senior who co-chairs the event. “He touched so many lives here and that’s been obvious in the overwhelming support we’ve seen for Relay for Life from the campus community”.

This is definitely not for the first time that CI is seen involved in such noble events. It has earlier participated in relay that were held at Camarillo High School, but this year a good number of enthusiastic participants from the institute has shown interest, which prompted CI to hold its own first campus event.

To make maximum and their best contribution from the event, some students have also staged the fundraiser as a friendly competition with California Lutheran University (CLU). Both the universities have mutually decided to compete and see who can raise maximum amount of money to support and help cancer patients.

CLU’s Relay for Life has been held at the weekend prior to the dates of the CI’s event, on February 25 and 26. Reports have confirmed that till now CI students have assembled almost 34 teams with calculating 250 participants and more than $16,000 for the noble cause to complete their ultimate goal of raising $25,000 by March 2.