Remembering Grace Maxwell 

By Avonlea Brown

On Wednesday, Jan 29, the world received news about the deadly plane and helicopter crash in Washington D.C. On Thursday, Jan 30, Cedarville University received news that one of its students, junior Grace Maxwell, was on that flight. 

Maxwell majored in Mechanical Engineering, was an on-air talent for Resound Radio and a member of the student-led writing org Inklings. Her unique personality and how she lived out her faith left imprints on the people close to her.

Encouraging. Dependable. Wise. 

Craig Vinson, Instructor of Communication, took over managing Resound Radio in the fall of 2024 and met Maxwell. Despite her heavy course-load, Maxwell made time for her passions, including being a weekly DJ for Resound. She recorded a break every Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

Vinson remembers Maxwell as one of the most dependable and active DJs he had on staff. She participated in meetings and made sure every segment she recorded wrapped up with the core message of Resound Radio.

“Whenever I saw an email from Grace I knew she had it under control,” Vinson said. “She was a great DJ, and always found a way to make her segments encouraging, which is what we are going for here at Resound.” 

On February 5, Resound compiled her best clips and ran them during her shift as a tribute to Maxwell. Several days later, WayFM host Joy Summers played one of Maxwell’s breaks to recognize her life and work. Through her breaks, Maxwell shared her thoughts and wisdom on a host of topics and gave her time to uplift others – a trait seen in other parts of her life on campus. 

Self-sacrificing. Complex. Intelligent. 

Maxwell lived in Maddox Hall, where she shared a unit with several girls who knew and loved her dearly, including Aspen Scheiboute. A senior Professional Writing and Design major, Scheiboute knew Maxwell before moving into their unit this year– bonding with her over a unique wardrobe item.  

“I noticed she had this really cool leather jacket with patches on it,” Scheiboute said. “I complimented her jacket, and she complimented mine – because I was wearing a similar jacket – and I thought, ‘another girl who wears black and leather, it was meant to be.’” 

Scheiboute admired Maxwell’s dedication to her major and her conviction to put her degree to use helping people. With a  minor in biomedical engineering, Maxwell planned on going into prosthetics design and starting a project to create a prosthetic hand for a young boy in Dayton. 

“She was a person of very wide interests,” Scheiboute said. “If she cared about someone or something she was all in: there was no halfway with Grace. She couldn’t even work on homework and watch TV at the same time.”

Her presence brought joy to those around her, and Maxwell made a point to share that with as many people as possible. Maxwell’s willingness to be a part of any activity astounded her friends, they often wondered where she got the time to do all of it. Yet, she never missed an event. 

“She was always off doing one thing or another and it was always to look after somebody or care for someone,” Scheiboute said. “I can’t think of a single time she said she was going to do something just for herself.” 

Loud. Funny. Active. 

Laurel Brown, a senior Visual Communication Design major, met Maxwell in the Resound Radio studio when she joined in the fall of her junior year. Over hours of working and laughing together, Brown and Maxwell became good friends. 

“It is hard because I used to look forward to walking through the doors and being greeted by her and our friend group, but now that’s not there,” Brown said. “We keep talking about her in the group chat and waiting for her to respond, because she is still in it.”

Brown, Maxwell and a group of Resound students formed a close-knit friend group that made time in their busy schedules to do game nights and even go on road trips during breaks. Maxwell participated in it all, and contributed loud, bright, contagious laughter to every moment. 

There. Gone. 

Maxwell’s loss rocked Cedarville University, a sentiment shown at her memorial service on Monday at 4:30 p.m. The Scharnberg auditorium silently filled with students and faculty who knew and loved Maxwell. The Maxwell family was not in attendance, yet Dr. Jon Wood offered his prayers and sympathies to them via the livestream of the service. 

The last speaker, Maxwell’s academic advisor and Senior Professor of Mechanical Engineering Dr. Tim Dewhurst, spoke about a less loud, more unsure side of Maxwell. 

“She was incredibly smart, she could have gone to any school in the country,” Dewhurst said at the memorial service. “And yet she often doubted her ability and I found myself encouraging her. Maybe that is why she became so special to me.”

Maxwell impacted the Cedarville community with her faithful walk with Christ, most clearly seen in her application to go on a mission trip to London during Spring Break. The application, quoted several times during the memorial service, showed Maxwell’s love for her Savior and desire to spread the gospel. 

“Grace, Grace, God’s Grace,” Dewhurst said, as he quoted from the popular hymn. “We can take solace that Grace Maxwell is no longer ours, but God’s Grace.” 

The memory of Maxwell and her life lives on in the people who remember and felt inspired by her. 

“I wish I could tell her how she inspired me to do things, like love people differently and more intentionally,” Scheiboute said. “I have begun to sew patches on my jacket, just like hers, and now the first patch will be in honor of her.” 

Avonlea Brown is a senior Journalism major and Campus News Editor for Cedars. She enjoys hiking, reading, and doing chores while listening to music. 

Photos provided by Laurel Brown