Vigil honors Virginia Tech

By Justin Myers

Published April 20, 2007

With less than a day's notice, members of the MU community gathered to honor the victims of the largest mass-shooting in U.S. history.

The Missouri Students Association held a candlelight vigil Tuesday night at Memorial Union to honor those affected by Monday's attack at Virginia Tech.

MSA President Rachel Anderson said about 400-500 people attended the vigil.

"I was pleasantly surprised for less than 24-hours notice," Anderson said. "It was a really good turnout."

Anderson opened the vigil with comparisons between the communities at MU and Virginia Tech.

"Norris Hall might remind you of Engineering West," she said. "West Ambler Johnston strikes an eerie resemblance to our own Johnston Hall and the drill fields at the center of their campus might remind some of our very own Stankowski Field."

Solidarity was a major theme for the event.

"Yesterday we were Tigers and they were Hokies, but today we unite as one," Anderson said. "We are all Hokies."

MU Chancellor Brady Deaton had previously taught at Virginia Tech, which is located in Blacksburg, Va. His wife, Anne Deaton, received her doctorate from the university.

"That community means a lot to me and to our family, and I know you, in joining tonight, express just how much it means to be linked with another university community," Brady Deaton said. "Two beautiful communities we have been privileged to live in. Tragedy has struck one. Your being here tonight reveals just how deeply you feel about that and how you are showing love and honor to that community."

Department of Student Activities Director Nick Trusty began the ceremony by lighting a large candle, which he then used to light his own and those of the other participants.

"It's important to remember that lighting one flame, and then everyone sharing that same flame, in a way joins us all together in remembrance of these tragic events," Trusty said.

Deaton spoke after Trusty and thanked students for their support.

"I think what you're doing this evening has a wonderful message to others that we stand for values that will achieve a betterment in the human society and that this kind of tragedy will not occur again," he said to attendees.

Deaton closed his speech by reassuring students about MU's commitment to safety.

"Student safety will always be the leading value when it comes to these kinds of emergency situations," Deaton said. "We trust and pray that we will never have to go there on this campus."

Following Deaton's speech, students observed a moment of silence, after which the bell in Memorial Union tolled 33 times, once for each casualty in the shooting.

After the tolls stopped, Trusty told those in attendance about a banner the university plans to send to Virginia Tech next week with MU students' messages and wishes. If students want to sign the banner before it is sent to Virginia Tech, it is available in A022 Brady.

Trusty said in honor of Virginia Tech, students would exit to the school's alma mater.

The song played once, but no one left.

In the silence afterward, students either signed the banner, gathered near the microphone to pray together or left the vigil.

Brady Deaton said he was pleased to see so much support for higher education as a whole.

"The outpouring of love that has come from around the world for the Blacksburg community speaks beautifully of the value of higher education to all of us," Deaton said.

Legion of Black Collegians President Jabari Turner said solidarity should not be limited to times of tragedy.

"It's a shame that it takes something like this for people to come together," he said. "I wish that we could come together as a campus community a lot more often, but it doesn't happen."