Patrick TrautfieldHundreds of Cal Poly students, faculty and staff filled the University Union with silence Wednesday afternoon in a memorial service dedicated to the victims of the Virginia Tech shooting.
“These are lives that have been lost, not numbers,” Associated Students Inc. President Todd Maki said. “Let this tragedy remind you of how gentle life is.”
Maki was among numerous speakers that reached out to listeners about the mourning, recovery and emotional process surrounding the Virginia Tech shooting. Student Life and Leadership Director Ken Barclay introduced the memorial, then Cal Poly President Warren Baker followed with a speech mourning those killed, injured and the families involved.
“This terrible tragedy has left many of us asking questions that don’t really have answers,” Baker said. He then asked for a moment of silence, while Linda Halisky, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, read off the 32 names of those killed. Hundreds of listeners bowed their heads in silence to respect and remember the victims.
Maki then took the microphone and delivered a speech that focused on the value of the lives students have in front of them and the appreciation of those who surround them.
“Even the smallest words can make the world of a difference,” Maki said.
The Virginia Tech shooting hit close to home for many people because the school was very similar to Cal Poly in academics and environment. Elie Axelroth, from Cal Poly Health and Counseling Services, extended a hand and shoulder for anyone who desired any sort of grief counseling.
“The best we have to offer is our caring, compassionate hearts, reaching out to each other,” Axelroth said.
Dave Smiley, of the Interfaith Campus Council, followed up with a more spiritual outlook, joining everyone together from Protestants to those who are “spiritual but not connected” to those who do not believe in a divine being.
Smiley spoke of “the spirit of love and compassion” that brings everyone together in times like these. He encouraged communication to help the healing process and to also “turn to the spirit of life.” He then recited a passage that a Lutheran minister presented at Virginia Tech the day after the shooting occurred. With this prayer, all heads were bowed down as the service wrapped up.
ASI provided a more personal outlet for listeners to express their emotions by passing out paper and pens to write messages that will be sent to the Virginia Tech community.
Many of those who attended the memorial service seemed to be content with the presentation and the compassion shown by Cal Poly and its administration.
“It is surprising to see the administration out here with such heartfelt emotions,” English senior Ruth Osorio said. “Todd had a really beautiful speech and he really captured the shared fear and mourning but the fact that we can still celebrate life while we mourn.”
Psychology junior Jenn Ledbetter agreed with Osorio.
“(The speakers) explained how the idea of fear usually turns to anger but we can still celebrate the fact that there is life,” she said.
Communication studies junior Matt Norton said he was really happy there was a memorial at Cal Poly.
“They could have disregarded it and just sent out an e-mail saying, ‘We’re sorry.’ But it was good to see people like President Baker out here, bringing everyone together on something that needed to be addressed,” he said.
An issue that did get brought up was that the gunmen’s name, Cho Seung-Hui, was not read along with the victims’ names.
“It is understandable (that they omitted his name) but 33 people died. Thirty-three lives were destroyed,” political science senior Lizzy Lamotte-Mitchell said.
Besides the memorial service, other events are being offered to remember the tragedy and give respect to the victims and their families. A candlelight vigil was put on Wednesday night for the general public in the UU Plaza.
ASI is also offering a chance for students and staff to send their personal thoughts in a collective effort today at UU Hour in the UU Plaza.
“ASI will have a long piece of butcher paper for students to write notes, to share their feelings, apologies and emotions,” Maki said. This sheet of notes will then be sent to the Virginia Tech community.
“It is a way to send messages from our students to theirs,” Maki said. “Especially in this tragedy specifically, it really hits close to home. We are another polytechnic university, strong in engineering like Virginia Tech. We both have outstanding students across the board and are known for having safe campuses. This could have so easily happened anywhere else.”
There will also be a panel discussion with professors from the religious studies department and the psychology department on May 2. More information will be available as the event comes closer.