Those who have hiked the trails at Wright State University may have noticed a small cemetery located in the back of the school.
For some, this may seem eerie and confusing, but this cemetery is actively used by the medical school as a place to honor and lay to rest those that have chosen to be a donor of the Anatomical Gift Program.
The program, which was started in 1975, allows men and women to donate their remains to the WSU Boonshoft School of Medicine for research about the structure and functions of the human body. Some donors choose to be buried within the Rockafield Cemetery after the students’ research is complete.
The Anatomical Gift Program is specific to Wright State and is not affiliated with other organ donation agencies
The walkway in the cemetery is composed of memorial bricks with the donors’ names, dates of birth and death engraved on them. The bricks are purchased by family members or friends, even if the donor is not buried in Rockafield Cemetery.
There are over 100 bricks that lay on the paths of the cemetery along with flowers, flags and memorial benches.
The university also holds a yearly Ceremony of Appreciation for the friends and family members of those that donated to the Anatomical Gift Program. The last ceremony held was in September with students, faculty members and administrators actively involved.
The cemetery is open to the public except during the Ceremony of Appreciation.
Those that are interested can find out more information on the Boonshoft School of Medicine’s website.
