News | 4/17/08

Media Credit: Patrick Smith [Click to enlarge]

As the sun set over Towson's campus Wednesday evening, candles affixed inside red cups illuminated the solemn faces of more than 50 students who attended a vigil to mark the one-year anniversary of the tragedy at Virginia Tech.

At the Speakers Circle next to Hawkins Hall, students took turns reading the names and short biographies of the 32 victims of the shootings by Seung-Hui Cho. The vigil, sponsored by the University Residence Government, was just part of the day's events that took place to remember those lost.

Jason Stefaniak, University Residence Government president, called it a "reflective process."

For Towson senior Natalie Shane, the anniversary was a reminder of the very scary time in her family's life, because her brother is a sophomore at Virginia Tech. She was grateful for the day's events that helped in the ongoing healing process.

"I think they're doing an amazing job. I was searching all over campus to find a T-shirt… It's definitely appreciated and I definitely called my brother right away to let him know how much we were supporting them," Shane said.

The T-shirts, worn by many students who attended the vigil, depicted the Towson logo on the front of the shirt, outlined with orange, white and maroon, Virginia Tech's colors. The back featured the black ribbon with the "VT" logo above the saying, "We Remember 4.16.07."

Some students who read the victims' biographies attempted to hold back tears.

"When people were coming up and picking which biography to read, people were asking for specific names," Stefaniak said. "I asked if they knew the people they were reading for and some did, but others just identified with who the people were."

For Stefaniak, who has held multiple events through URG to honor Virginia Tech's loss, the events have become a personal cause.

"It wasn't something that just upset me because I knew someone [there]…everyone can and did identify with people there," he said.

However, he said his driving force behind organizing these events stemmed from an ex-girlfriend who still attends the university in Blacksburg, Va.

"I tell her all the time that she's the reason why I've done these things. I see all these things as almost for her," Stefaniak said. "It's something that is for the community, but it is also something that is personal for me."

Prior to the candlelight vigil, Wednesday morning, URG held a tree planting ceremony outside of Tower A. According to Stefaniak, the dogwood tree was placed by facilities management and will grow to about 25 feet and bloom in the spring.

Students present adorned the branches with message cards that will be sent to Virginia Tech. They were also allowed to shovel a small amount of dirt on the tree base.

The perimeter of the tree's foundation was lined with VT buttons to be taken by students. The tree was also marked by a "Hokie Stone," the same blocks Virginia Tech buildings are made out of, that will eventually be engraved, according to Stefaniak.

The day's events offered opportunities to students to reflect on the tragedy that occurred one year ago, and to be grateful for those who survived.

"My whole family is actually from Blacksburg, Virginia, and several of my cousins, a bunch of my uncles and aunts went to Virginia Tech, so I came out to show my support," Alicia Jones, a junior history major, said.

Jones has a second cousin who currently attends Virginia Tech.

"It's still kind of odd to me, especially when I go home, I can tell it still affects some of my family members," Jones said. "But I feel like everybody is starting to finally move on and get through it. It's definitely scary thinking that he could be one of those 32 people."

For a full list of names and biographies of those who died at Virginia Tech, or to leave condolences, visit www.vt.edu/remember.

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