Vigil held for NIU shooting
Feb. 19, 2008
Chancellor Brady Deaton and Graduate Professional Council president Jennifer Holland light three candles during a vigil to honor the victims of the shootings at Northern Illinois University. A small crowd of students and staff came to Memorial Union on Sunday to pay their respects.
On Sunday evening, a candlelight vigil was held to honor the victims of Thursday’s shooting at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill. The Missouri Students Association and the Graduate Professional Council organized the vigil.
GPC President Jennifer Holland said she believed it was important for MU to hold the event, which was held in Memorial Union North.
“Any time a tragedy like this hits another campus, I think you feel strongly that you want to pay respects to those who have lost their lives, and also to gather your own community of students and faculty and staff and give them an outlet to show their grieving,” Holland said.
Along with Holland, MU Chancellor Brady Deaton and MSA President Jim Kelley opened the short ceremony with words about why it was crucial for the MU community to gather during these times of grief.
“To reach out as a university community is so meaningful,” Deaton said. “And I think it enables us to recommit ourselves to rising above the kind of unexplainable and senseless violence that we have seen played out and to work toward something better.”
Kelley said that it was important for students to reach out to each other during these hard times and to draw on each other for strength.
Kelley recalled an African proverb that he said he was reminded of during hard times.
“As we pray, we must move our feet,” Kelley said.
After their remarks, Holland, Deaton and Kelley each lit one candle on the small table. A moment of silence followed. As MU students and faculty members hung their heads, the silence was broken by the sound of brass instruments. The NIU alma mater “Hail NIU” was played over a speaker system.
Organizers set out a banner for people to sign and express their condolences. The banner will be sent to NIU this week, Holland said.
Senior Emily Ramsey, a former NIU student, was one of those who attended the vigil.
“I went to Northern Illinois University for two years,” Ramsey said. “I thankfully didn’t know any of the victims personally, but had a bunch of friends that did.”
Once the candle lighting ceremony ended, organizers ordered the tolling of the Memorial Union bells. One toll rang out for each victim of the shooting.
Three psychologists from the MU Counseling Center were present at the event for any student who needed help coping with the tragedy.
Psychologist Jenny Brown said that the main treatment given to struggling students is an open ear.
“It’s important for people to talk about what they’re experiencing, so a lot of what we do is listening,” Brown said. “The thing about grieving, both complicated and simple, is that people go through a natural progression of emotions and stages, so a lot of it is just being there for someone.”
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