Cedarville Grants Degree to Student Lost in 2025 Crash

When Grace Maxwell's family walks across the stage at Cedarville University's commencement on May 2, they'll receive the mechanical engineering degree their daughter worked so hard to earn before her life was cut short.

Grace was one of 67 passengers killed in the midair crash over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., on January 29, 2025. The junior would have graduated this year with a degree in mechanical engineering and a minor in biomedical engineering.

"It means a lot to know there are people who recognize and affirm Grace's accomplishments," said her father, Dean Maxwell. "She worked so hard."

During her time at Cedarville, Grace made her mark both in and out of the classroom. She graded papers for mechanical engineering faculty, tutored fellow students, and was preparing to help develop a hand-stabilizing device for a young boy with disabilities.

She also found joy as a DJ on the student-led Resound Radio station and participated in a creative writing group. Her father remembers how she blossomed at the Ohio university.

"She became much more comfortable in her own skin at Cedarville," Dean said. "She loved the classes, the challenge and the community."

Dr. Tim Dewhurst, Grace's academic adviser, remembers her dedication. She was one of his only students to consistently turn in assignments a full week early, but her impact went beyond grades.

"She was more than just smart and capable. She truly loved others and would help anyone in need," Dewhurst said.

Why This Inspires

Grace's story reminds us that every degree represents a real person with dreams, friendships, and the power to touch lives. Her commitment to using biomedical engineering to help others showed a heart as strong as her mind.

For her classmates walking across that stage, her memory serves as a powerful reminder to live with purpose and care for those around them. The university will confer 1,167 degrees at this year's ceremony, but Grace's will carry special weight.

"She never gave up and was always willing to do the right thing, even if it was hard," her father said. "We hope commencement is an encouragement to her friends and an opportunity to honor her faithfulness and keep her memory alive."

Grace found her people at Cedarville, and now they're making sure she's remembered as one of them.