A&T Names Lounge in Memory of Alumnus Terrence Lydell Christian Jr.

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Oct. 30, 2023) – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has named Terrence Lydell Christian Jr. Lounge in McNair Hall in memory of the class of 2020 alumnus.

Shortly after graduating N.C. A&T with a B.S. in computer engineering, Christian moved to Seattle to begin his professional career at Microsoft. Three weeks after arriving, he died in a boating accident on Lake Washington.

“Terrence was an amazing computer engineering major who spent countless hours in this lounge mentoring, studying and tutoring,” said Stephanie Luster-Teasley, Ph.D., interim dean of the College of Engineering. “We were honored that the family wanted to celebrate his life and memory with this lasting space in the College of Engineering.”

Family, friends, College of Engineering faculty and staff, along with other university administrators, gathered outside the lounge on the second floor of McNair Hall where a ceremony was held to honor Christian’s memory and his legacy at A&T.

“Terrence was an inspiration to all who knew him,” said Bernadette Christian, his mother. “I cannot convey to you the depth of sorrow that Terrence Sr. and I feel every day.”

During his time at A&T, Christian participated in a number of activities and societies including Aggies Abroad, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the National Society of Black Engineers and the Engineering Toastmasters Club.

In 2018, Christian was awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which he used to study abroad at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China.

“Terrence loved traveling abroad to gain experience and learn about other cultures,” said his mother. “His education wasn’t just in the classroom; he was a student with an appetite for real-world experience.”

Outside A&T, Christian volunteered for FIRST Robotics as a competition referee and judge and was a member of the East Coast Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen.