Mark Ozminkowski was a student who was willing to push limits as long as it was fun.

In a class assignment, Ozminkowski created a roller coaster that would create four times the legal number of G’s for an amusement park ride, saying it sounded like fun to him, said Daniel Pease at a memorial held for Ozminkowski on Friday in Hendricks Chapel.

Ozminkowski, who was on medical leave of absence from Syracuse University since Dec. 2001, died Dec. 30, 2002 after battling bone cancer since June 1997.

Pease, a professor of computer science and engineering, agreed that Ozminkowski excelled in the classroom.

The analysis and solution of the roller coaster problem exemplifies what the class was supposed to be, Pease said.

Barbara Ozminkowski, Mark’s mother, said it was more difficult speaking at the memorial than it was speaking at Mark’s funeral because SU was Mark’s world and not hers. Even though Mark was fighting cancer for five and a half years and although treatment interrupted his time on campus, he remained a student who went to class and whose mother never knew where he was, she said.

Andrew Valentino, one of Mark’s best friends and a junior civil engineering major, spoke of some of the many “adventures” he and Mark had going to see live music.

“I’m sure everyone like that goes straight up to heaven,” he said. “He’s probably there now teaching angels to play a new instrument.”

Besides music, Mark also enjoyed computers and was a computer science major in the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Kathryn Drake, associate director of student development for Engineering and Computer Science, said Mark reversed the normal teacher/student roles by teaching her that every day is a gift, and if a piece of music cannot be played on a guitar it probably isn’t worth being heard.

Drake said Ozminkowski began his college career as part of the SU SummerStart program because he wanted to learn and make friends and not waste his brain all summer.

Dr. Edward Bogucz, dean of Engineering and Computer Science, thanked the Ozminkowski family for sharing Mark with SU. Bogucz said there is a motto in Engineering and Computer Science that students are “majoring in excellence.”

Thomas Wolfe, dean of Hendricks Chapel, said it was a memorial to celebrate Mark’s life, embrace his essence and celebrate the gift of Mark to the campus community.

Barbara Ozminkowski said Mark knew he didn’t have much time left but still did the things in life that he wanted to.

“Cancer may have broken his body but not his spirit,” she said.

Published on January 26, 2003 at 12:00 pm