In Memoriam: Anna Servidio

Article by UDaily Staff Photos courtesy of the Servidio family October 06, 2025

Campus community remembers senior honors environmental science student

Anna Faith Servidio, an honors student at the University of Delaware known for her compassion, intellect and leadership, passed away on Aug. 17, 2025. She was 21. She was a senior majoring in environmental science and a cherished member of the UD sailing team.

Ms. Servidio stood out in every space she entered.

“Anna was a shining star,” said Michael Chajes, dean of the Honors College, who taught her honors colloquium course. “She was a leader in class discussions and gave an inspired final presentation on carbon pricing. Anna was committed to protecting our environment, and I was so impressed by the energy and commitment that fueled her passion for making the world a better place.”

Raised in Connecticut, Ms. Servidio’s love of nature began early.

“Anna’s love of sailing began at an early age, and it was one of the activities she enjoyed the most at Delaware,” said her father, Steve Servidio. She joined the UD sailing team her first year and quickly became not just a dedicated sailor, but a leader and mentor. “Watching her on the water and seeing her do what she loved so much brought incredible joy to my wife Jane and myself.”

Boyfriend and teammate John Fulkerson, a senior in computer science, remembered their first regatta together.

“We didn’t know each other well, had never raced together, but were stepping into an A-fleet boat,” said Fulkerson. “From the moment we started that first race, it felt like we had been sailing together forever. From that moment on, she was my skipper.”

Whether on the water, in class or walking across campus, Ms. Servidio left a lasting impression.

“She was truly the greatest friend anyone could have,” said Savannah McMullen, a senior environmental science and ecoscience major. “She had the ability to make sure everyone felt loved, seen and appreciated.”

Anna Servidio (left) and Savannah McMullen

Ms. Servidio’s compassion extended well beyond her close friends. She and Mr. Fulkerson began hosting monthly coffee hours to bring people together, even during the busiest weeks.

“That was Anna,” he said. “She had a gift for making people feel at home, whether she had known them for years or had just met them.”

Margaret “Maggie” Miller, a senior studying art history and French, and a close friend since freshman year, recalled Ms. Servidio’s nurturing spirit.

“She was a giver, a hugger, a caretaker and the person whose door I broke down outside of because I knew she would open it every time,” Miller said.

Ms. Servidio participated in the “Run/Walk for the Penguins” every October to support conservation efforts.

In her youth, Ms. Servidio participated in the “Run/Walk for the Penguins” every October to support conservation efforts, and her passion for animals continued throughout her life. Kyle McCarthy, professor of wildlife ecology, shared a vivid memory of Ms. Servidio during a UD study abroad program in Costa Rica.

“Perhaps one of my favorite memories is from a day on the Osa peninsula. As a pair of pumas strolled down the beach at sunset, it was Anna who first began trailing (at a safe distance) behind them, pulled along in the wake of their beauty,” McCarthy said.

Her spirituality was also a central part of her life.

“We went to more masses than bars together in college,” Mr. Fulkerson said. “She lived the words of Saint Paul in his letter to the Romans: ‘Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer.’”

In addition to her academic and co-curricular accomplishments, Ms. Servidio was a loyal sister, daughter and friend. Her sister, Sarah, described her as her “built-in best friend,” and her mother, Jane, recalled a memory from Anna’s first Twilight ceremony at UD. “She managed to get a front row seat, was selected for the game show and even got a selfie with President Assanis. She was on top of the moon.”

Ms. Servidio is remembered for her intellect, her empathy, her leadership and her infectious joy. Her father shared one final memory: dropping her off at class during a snowy February day. “We hugged, said goodbye and just as she was entering her building, she turned, smiled and waved to me. It was the last time I saw Anna on campus. It has become one of my fondest but also most heartbreaking memories.”

The UD community continues to grieve the loss of such a bright and beloved student.

A growing archive of stories and memories is being collected at AnnaServidio.com/memories. Friends and members of the UD community are invited to share their remembrances at annaservidio.com/share-memory.

Ms. Servidio’s impact on those around her will live on in the stories she helped create, the friendships she nurtured and the light she shared.