"A little ray of light" will shine amid the Elliott family's sadness on Saturday.
Sophie Elliott (22), murdered at her Ravensbourne family home in January, was due to graduate this weekend and the family are determined to make the most of her special day.
This will centre on the celebration of Miss Elliott's academic achievements at the University of Otago graduation ceremony this weekend.
Miss Elliott last year completed a BCom with first-class honours in economics, and one of her brothers, Chris Elliott (29), will cross the Dunedin Town Hall stage to formally receive the degree on her behalf.
More than 460 graduands in commerce, tourism and law, will graduate in person at the event.
Mr Elliott, who has a BA (Hons) in philosophy from Otago University and works as a musician in Melbourne, will fly to Dunedin this week to participate.
"It's pretty sad that she can't be there herself to get it," he said.
"It's good that we get to do this rather than [just] have her name read out," Mr Elliott said from Melbourne last night.
"It's hard. I don't know what I will feel like on the day, but it's a celebration of her achievements, definitely," he said.
Family members said that having the degree awarded "in person" under the circumstances was a rare honour, which they understood had not happened previously in the university's nearly 140-year history.
Miss Elliott's father, scientist Gil Elliott, said the graduation arrangements were pleasing, and amounted to "a little ray of light in our sadness".
His wife, Lesley Elliott, said the university had initially offered the family a private family graduation ceremony.
The family was grateful for the university's response, including subsequently giving permission for Miss Elliott's degree to be conferred during the main graduation ceremony, something her friends and teachers had also wanted, she said.
"We're going to make it as celebratory as we can. We know it's what Sophie would want. That's the sort of person she was- a very positive sort of person."
Miss Elliott died on January 9.
An Otago University economics researcher, Clayton Robert Weatherston (32), has been charged with her murder.
