Exhibition Description

The Louis Henry Morgan Institute of SUNYIT has prepared an exhibition with the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation and Union College portraying the unintended consequences of drinking and driving. Titled Friends, the main purpose of the exhibition is to make college-age students aware of how quickly the lives of those involved in DWI tragedies, as well as those of families and friends of the victims, can change.

The core of the exhibition is the Colgate crash of November 2000. This single-car crash involved seven college students headed back to campus after a night out. A group of four girls flagged down a passing Jeep in order to avoid walking home in the rain. The three boys that picked them up were happy to offer a ride. Less than a minute after picking up the girls, the driver of the Jeep lost control on the slick road and crashed into an oak tree. The impact killed four of the passengers – Katie Almeter, Emily Collins, Kevin King, and Rachel Nargiso.

The exhibition focuses on the lives of the victims prior to the crash, emphasizing individual histories through photos, possessions, interviews of victims’ friends and families, and audio and visual recordings. A timeline traces the events of the victims’ last day, including a detailed account of the crash itself. Along with the text of the timeline, quotes and artifacts that pertain to the crash are part of this section. The aftermath that the families, friends, police and community were left with is included as well. The combination of these elements creates an emotional reaction in observers, with the goal of behavioral change. This approach creates a powerful message that may deter college-age students from driving after consuming alcohol. The exhibition will travel to colleges and universities throughout New York State so that its impact can be seen state-wide.

There is also an option for a secondary focus to involve a crash specific to each college or university hosting the exhibition. For example, at Siena College in Loudonville, New York, the show included a section about a May 2001 crash involving Brian Crouch, a Siena junior at the time of the crash. This option is dependent on the college or university and requires research into the institution’s history of alcohol-related incidents. This is a way to educate the student body about the hazards of drinking and driving in a very immediate way. It also includes a Princeton Review Panel of the site- specific college.

The traveling exhibition consists of over thirty enlarged photographic images, physical artifacts such as the victims’ possessions and family photo albums, a timeline of events, police documents, video footage, and an audio clip. Images are to be mounted on gallery walls or on the four seven-foot high freestanding triangle units. Artifacts are to be displayed in seven display cases. All display furniture is shipped with the exhibit. Also accompanying the exhibition are four framed art pieces, a videocassette tape, and an audio compact disc.