ETSU Supports the Hokies!

Bernadette Cash and Sara Shaffer sign a sheet that will be made into a quilt during the ETSU gathering in memory of the victims at Virginia Tech. (Ron Campbell / Johnson City Press)

For the Hokies - ETSU event held in support of Virginia Tech
By Sam Watson
Press Education Writer
swatson@johnsoncitypress.com
http://johnsoncitypress.com/Detail.php?Cat=LOCALNEWS&ID=59244

Buccaneer blue and gold gave way to Hokie maroon and orange Tuesday as East Tennessee State University sent messages of support to Virginia Tech in the wake of last week’s massacre.

Hundreds of students and employees gathered on ETSU’s Borchuck Plaza for a noon service, many donning maroon and orange ribbons and signing banners in a show of solidarity for their peers in Blacksburg, Va.

“We’re just really reaching our hearts out to everyone over there at Virginia Tech,” said Justin Mitchell, an ETSU junior from Memphis. “It’s a really good healing exercise for us, as well, and all American college students across the United States.”

On April 16, Virginia Tech student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 students and faculty members and injured several others in a rampage that sent a chill through college campuses across the country. The tragedy hit particularly close to home at ETSU, an institution located just 150 miles away from Blacksburg.

Many students on the Johnson City campus have friends at Virginia Tech or other ties there, and ETSU employs several Virginia Tech alumni, including Mark Musick, holder of ETSU’s Quillen Chair of Excellence in Teaching and Learning, who led Tuesday’s service alongside ETSU President Paul Stanton.

Also on the plaza Tuesday was Virginia Tech graduate Dr. Sally Lee, ETSU associate vice president for student affairs.

“As an alum, I am appreciative of the response on behalf of my institution,” Lee said as Virginia Tech symbols dangled from her ears. “The outpouring for Virginia Tech from other institutions has been amazing.”

As a student at Virginia Tech, Lee was a resident adviser in West Ambler Johnston Hall, the site where Cho began his attack by killing students Ryan Clark and Emily Hilscher. Last week’s events forever changed Lee’s perspective about her old dorm.

“I can tell you pretty much exactly where that young lady and that RA were murdered because of the way that building is configured uniquely,” she said. “That has an impact.”

The massacre also changed perspectives for some ETSU students.

“For our students here, there’s a lot of sorrow and a lot of understanding of the lost innocence and the impact it will have on that school,” Lee said. “So, I think it’s good for our students to have an outlet for their own emotions.”

To Mitchell, knowing that students his own age were killed doing the same things he does every day — attending classes — was scary.

“It hurts. We really feel that,” he said. “Maybe we can create more awareness so that everybody can lend a helping hand to those who feel alone, so they don’t feel they have to kill.”

As ETSU students signed a sheet that will form part of a memorial quilt for Virginia Tech, Mitchell wrote just three words: “Cho was wrong.”

“I believe that they (Virginia Tech students) feel just as strongly as we do that people who are loners and outsiders should not feel as pressed against,” Mitchell said. “Maybe if you are ostracized and feel that you are alone, you won’t lash out against society.”

ETSU sophomore Deanna Stamper, an elementary education major from Kingsport, brought the sheet to campus as part of a national project organized by Alpha Phi Omega, a community service organization.

“I really wanted to do it, because I have two very special friends there (at Virginia Tech) in the engineering program. Luckily, they were away at the time on a competition,” Stamper said. “I know that many students want to find a way to send love to them, and this to me is a great way to do it.

“I think it gives great faith back to our nation to see how strong these young people can be through this.”

Wearing Virginia Tech athletic jerseys, ETSU senior Sara Shaffer and her sister in law, Bernadette Cash, signed the sheet to send messages to a campus Shaffer has known since childhood via athletic events.

“It’s awfully close to home,” Shaffer said. “My dad went to Virginia Tech. Our whole family has been going to Blacksburg since before I was even born. We’re all Hokies.”

University of Florida Gators support Virginia Tech

My wife is a 1990 Accounting graduate from Virginia Tech living currently in Gainesville, Florida. We thought we would submit this to show that the Gator Nation supports the Hokie Nation. We are all Virginia Tech.

Bret Dampier, RPh
University of Florida College of Pharmacy, 1988

Images and News from the Virginia Tech Campus

Brent Jesiek shared two great things with me today-

Pictures from the VT campus at http://filebox.vt.edu/users/bjesiek/public/2007_04_19_Web/

And news of a coming website where these and other tributes will be permanently housed:

http://www.april16archive.org

Brent shared with me that the site will be "a new multimedia memory bank for the April 16 tragedy. The site is being hosted on campus, with the curatorial support of numerous faculty and students." This is terrific news, as content such as this should be brought together in one place, sponsored by Tech, and maintained by Tech faculty and students.

I look forward to the site going live and encourage anyone reading to share their pictures and words with this new repository.

Virginia Tech alum to read names at Fresno State memorial Monday

Two alumni of Virginia Tech will read the names of the 32 students and faculty who died last week, during a memorial Monday (April 23) at California State University, Fresno. The ceremony will include a National Moment of Silence called for 9:45 a.m. as students resume classes there.

Dr. Maria Sanchez and Dr. Ira Sorenson, members of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Class of 2002 who are now mechanical engineering professors in the College of Engineering at Fresno State, will join University President John D. Welty and students at the memorial from 9:30 to 10 a.m. in the Free Speech Area. More info: http://www.fresnostatenews.com/2007/04/rememberingVTT.htm.

WE ARE with you at Penn State

The recent days since the travesty at Virginia Tech has provided once again, like the aftermath of NINE-ELEVEN, a stimulus that brings us, as Americans, and particularly those associated with our academic family closer together. On Wednesday, I traveled from my home in Alexandria, VA to State College, PA to attend the Penn State Alumni Council Spring Session and the annual Blue-White football game, that regularly ends the Nittany Lion spring football training.

The Penn State Campus is usually a lively venue, but this time when I arrived there was a different aura. There was a sadness concerning the students and faculty of our sister land grant institution at Blacksburg. The Close knit family that defines Virginia Tech now has an extended family of students, faculty, and alumni from the entire academic community in the USA.

As our Alumni Council meeting started, all the members wore maroon and orange ribbons to signify our respect and solidarity with the Virginia Tech family. That night a Memorial Service was held on the Campus along with several candle light vigils. One of the vigils was for a Penn State Alumnus who became one of the Hokie grad students lost that day, Jeremy Hellbreith. Later in the day our Alumni Council agreed to provide $1000 to the family’s fund at VT.

On Saturday we had the intrasquad football game, were the traditional sea of blue and white became maroon and orange. The University provided maroon and orange Hokie T-shirts for the entire student section at the Stadium. Many wore Penn State clothing in these same colors rather than the blue and white. Seventy Six thousand (76,000) record setting fans attended. At the start of the game, following a poem of tribute by one of the football team members, A moment of silence will be observed. Then special selection will be performed by the famous blue band, now showing the colors maroon and orange in support of the Virginia Tech family. Most moving was the brass rendition of “Amazing Grace.” To “kick off the game”, A cheer of “Go Hokies” filled the stadium.

Penn State is a rabid football school with voracious enthusiastic fans that will not miss an event, so on this Saturday nothing changed, except the energy was directed at supporting the Hokie.

During the 3 or 4 days leading up to Saturday’s game, sales of Hokie hats, shirts and other clothing has been available (Sales have been brisk) with all the proceeds going to the VT family fund. This was evidenced when viewing the tailgates and the stadium where blue and white was replaced with maroon and orange.

During a recent interview on national TV, a student at Virginia Tech was asked, “What is a Hokie?” The student replied, “I am”. Such a reply is akin to the Penn State Slogan, “We Are” and, we are with Virginia Tech. We are there to grieve with you and help move all of US forward.

Bob Landis
Penn State Meteorology 19863
Alumni Fellow and member of the Alumni Council

Orange and Maroon participants posting to InsideNova.com

PatomacNews.com and InsideNova.com have been collecting pictures from orange and maroon effect day participants. To see all of the uploads, go to http://potomacnews.mgblogs.com/index.php/potomacnews/category/News/.

Here are a sample of the participants - all images are linked directly from the PatomacNews site as requested:

Members of the Osbourn Park Science Department

Prince William County Service Authority

Patomac News Staff

Journal Messenger

Old Bridge Elementary
Old Bridge Staff

Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce

Hailey Elementary in Texas

a message of hope from Texas

To all Hokies past and present, and all the families and friends of the those whose lives were lost on April 16, 2007. My heart goes out to all of you and yall are in my thoughts and prayers. I just graduated from college a year ago, and this event fell fresh on my heart. I believe God gave me these words to share with you, and I pray that a Hokie will discover a melody to put with these words, that a beautiful tribute might arise. May God grant yall peace and comfort as you brave each new day from here on out.

We March On

So many deaths
In such a short time
The grief and the heartache
Is burning inside
Beautiful life
Has been taken away
We stand here in shock
In utter dismay

We march on as Hokies
We march on as one
Though this great tragedy
Won't soon be undone
We cling to each other
United we stand
Hokies move forward
Hand in hand

The sun has gone down
On many young lives
And ended the stories
That were filled with good times
Their memories we honor
For their families we pray
And march on as Hokies
To brave a new day

We march on as Hokies
We march on as one
Though this great tragedy
Won't soon be undone
We cling to each other
United we stand
Hokies move forward
Hand in hand

We cling to each other
United we stand
Hokies move forward
Hand in hand

-In memory of all those lost on April 16, 2007.

Lisa Merryman
Texas A&M
Class of 2005

sell.com to donate April proceeds to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund

From http://www.sell.com/announcements/virginia-tech/

sell.com will donate all proceeds for the remainder of the month of April 2007 to the Virginia Tech Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund.

The recent tragedy in Blacksburg hit particularly close to home, as our CEO and Founder, Darren Dittrich, is a graduate of Virginia Tech. Darren received both a bachelor's and master's degrees in Computer Science from Virginia Tech. "I was fortunate to spend five years with wonderful people on the beautiful campus of Virginia Tech. The University has given me so much; I want to do what I can to help the families of the victims, and my alma mater."

From now until the end of April, all fees collected on sell.com will be donated to the university in May.

Condolences from England

i am sending this from england were we are all shocked and saddened by this act of one person. My boyfriend was shot dead at fifteen and the pain is still there, be strong and take the time to listen and support each other. I have two daughters, my eldest has just started high school and it is scary. As parents we do everything to try an protect our children and alwys will.

rest in peace all of you and my deepest sympathy to all parents and sisters and brothers who have been toughed by this callous act ....

Nikki

Encouragement and Support from Appalachian State University

Hello Virginia Tech,

I am a student at Appalachian State University. Though we may have seemed fairly quiet, we are quite closely tied to you guys and we truly mourn this tragedy. In some cases your fear and loss were ours as well. Many of our students and faculty are on your campus regularly. People on campus have worn Virginia Tech shirts and hats (instead of the usual ASU stuff) all week. We held a candlelight vigil/ memorial service Wednesday night and people were openly sobbing as the names of the victims were read aloud. We wore orange ribbons, which were given out at the Plemmons Student Union, all day Wednesday. Be assured that we care so much for you and are willing to help in any way we can. You are a strong and proud school; you will overcome and get through this. You will come through even stronger than before.

I have attached some things from our school's website for you to see and read (if you haven't already) so that they will be added to all the things that you are receiving and, hopefully, bring some measure of comfort. The WORD document called 'Thursday" is a copied and pasted write-up from our school's newspaper. The other WORD document, entitled 'VTech', is the message that our university's chancellor sent to us in response.

And please, PLEASE, ask those who can to reassure the Cho family and any South Korean people that we do not feel that they are to blame. Only people who already harbor hate use events such as these to direct that hate at others. America is everyone who is here to share our country and all it has to give. My Hmong, Korean, Mexican, Iranian, and German (and all other nationalities) friends who live here are just as American as I am. Please try to help the South Korean people there and the Cho family to realize just how strange this country would look to Americans without all the nationalities who are here. Just like they cannot help that Seung Hui, a South Korean, was the shooter, we cannot help that we have had so many others who are part of our country that have committed similar acts in the past. Seung Hui was just as much a part of America as the rest of us. Human beings are just too unique to guess every person's actions. And please try to tell the Cho family that it is not their fault that Seung Hui did what he did. Sometimes even when a parent raises a child as perfectly as possible, something just goes wrong. That is not anyone's fault; it just happens. I have not spoken to a single person that harbors any ill feelings toward the Cho family or any South Koreans due to this incident. The Cho family has my absolute, heart-felt condolences. After all, they also lost their son and brother. Their loss is made that much worse by the fact that he was the perpetrator of this tragedy and has been shown all over every news channel. They, too, are surrounded everywhere they turn by those horrific images. And they, too, search for answers that even they may never be able to truly answer. No parent or sibling should ever have to go through the nightmare that they have. No one should ever have to go through what your entire community has.

I am not officially representing ASU; I am telling you how I and many of my friends and colleagues feel.

Stay strong, Virginia Tech! We're here for you.

Tabitha R. Messer
Environmental Geology major
Appalachian State University

Appalachian State University website
Appalachian Online

A poem from shelby

and it's the truth
every day
every minute
a new flashing update
someone's been shot
he's been killed
she's missing
every day
every minute
you never think
what could really be
happening to you right now
you just worry about
the stupid drama
that won't mean a thing tomorrow
but these live's aren't replacable
and never will they be forgotten.

Rest in Peace Virginia Tech Victims

Church Service in Pamplin, Virginia

Beale Memorial Presbyterian Church in Pamplin, Va., will have a special service as a "Response to the Events at Virginia Tech", this Sunday, 11:15am. Pastor Bryan Garra invites anyone who is interested to attend.

For more information, see www.freewebs.com/revbry

Billboard on Interstate 95

I spotted this billboard yesterday on Interstate 95 southbound near Exit 173, Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, near where I live with my wife of almost 45 years. We went back today to get a picture. I am a proud "Hokie," class of 1962, and we have two Hokie daughters and son-in-laws that all wore the orange and maroon with pride and distinction today. We all fully support President Steger and the entire university community as they have shown such superior skill and leadership through such a difficult time. We will continue to pray for the families and friends of those that were lost and the university as it moves out of it's darkest hour.

Alex & Marilyn Cockey

Gaston, NC

SRA in Fairfax, Virginia, shows its Hokie Pride

Over 130 employees in two locations of SRA International, a Fairfax Virginia government IT services firm, stepped out in our orange and maroon on April 20th to show our support for the students, families, faculty, and staff of Virginia Tech. Over 130 alumni work at SRA, and many employees have children at Virginia Tech and/or at Westfields HS in Centreville, Virginia.

This tragedy has touched all of us. We want to express our heartfelt condolences for the victims and their families, as well as those who continue to heal from both physical and emotional wounds. We want everyone at VT to know that our thoughts and prayers are with you.

We also know, as Nikki Giovanni said, that the spirit, hope, and family of the Virginia Tech community will prevail. We've seen as much already, from the stirring spirit in the Convocation ceremony, to the quiet dignity and resolve of the candlelight vigil, to the outpouring of support and hope throughout Virginia and throughout the world.

You are the Hokies. You will prevail. We are behind you.

Hokie Spirit from Lone Pine HS in CA

With our deepest sympathy from Lone Pine High School, California, where '86 MSEd grad Linda Hubbs is the consumer and family sciences teacher. There are 120 students in our high school and more than 50 students and staff participated by wearing ribbons or maroon and orange.
Students and staff participated Friday 4/20 in the Hokie Spirit memorial by observing 32 seconds of silence and wearing orange and maroon ribbons or clothing. Mrs. Hubbs distributed the text of Nikki Giovanni's convocation address and "What is a hokie?" to interested students.
We hope our message of consolation helps in the healing process.

WE SUPPORT - Maroon and Orange Effects 2007

The West Building Team remembers and supports the families and friends of VT!

Signed,
The West Building Team at the Altavista Bearing Plant
Timken Company
Altavista, VA

From the Beach in New Jersey

I thought you would like this. Took these earlier today at sunrise in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ.

Rob - Class of '90

Hokie Pride in Durham, NC

My son is a sophomore at VT, and we took a picture at my office today of all the folks wearing Hokie colors. We're located in Durham, NC in the heart of ACC country. Everyone stands with the VT students and alumni today.

Ed

Hokify your website!

The folks at BuzzDroid.com have put up some great tips on showing the Hokie colors on your website! For more info, see:

http://buzzdroid.com/uncategorized/webmaster-challenge-web-orange-and-maroon-effect-to-show-support-for-victims/

Hokie Memory Project

http://weareallhokies.blogspot.com/

Some fellow Hokies and I have started this project to remember positive experiences at Virginia Tech and in Blacksburg. We are planning to gather all the notes we receive and present them to the school as a tribute wall, maybe an addition to the Hokie Pride Wall that is now growing on campus.

Lisa
'89-'92

Today we're all Hokies

I am expressing very heart-felt sorrow to you - from no one you know and from everyone you know.

Americans all over are crying with you.

I'm just another mourner who has been so saddened by the unfathomable loss of precious youth that was laid on your doorstep. I didn't know how else to reach out to someone and say I'm sorry. I wanted you to know that you are in so many prayers and hearts today.

When the dark clouds roll away, look for that ray of warmth and hope. It will be your fellow Hokies sending it for they will surely shine.

Hokie in my Heart,
Susan from South Jersey

btw:
My brother played Football at Tech when I was a girl. Family trips to the games are some of my favorite childhood memories.

Everyone in my office is wearing a ribbon in memorial today. I made them to say we love you and I wanted to share them with you, too.

Show your Hokie Spirit on Orange and Maroon Effect Day!

Send me your pictures at virginiatechtribute@gmail.com!