Allie Rice honored with posthumous degree from LSU

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - While many parents greeted their graduates after Friday’s Ourso College of Business ceremony, the parents of Allie Rice walk out with just her diploma in hand.

“This is a difficult day, today is three months to the day of Allie’s murder. This was a day we were all looking forward to for her, to honor her for all our hard work and what it would take to graduate from college. And she had that day stolen from her, as did we,” Paul Rice, Allie’s father said.

Allie’s father, her mother, step-parents, brother, and two roommates attended today’s graduation where Allie received her degree posthumously.

“Truly honored that LSU gave us the opportunity and you know, honored her memory and her hard work and everything that she did and who she was by giving her this honorary degree (Friday),” Rice said.

Rice said today is a difficult day, during a difficult time of year.

“Now we focus a lot more on our positive memories of Allie. You know, this time of year, a lot of those things pop up, you know? A lot of people are remembering her, a lot of people are reaching out and all that helps,” Rice said.

But sticking together helps them get through the hard days.

“We just try to take everything one day at a time, right now we’re waiting for any kind of answers. Any hope?”

Rice said he had not been told any updates on the investigation into his daughter’s murder.

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