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Tech Reaches Out To Illinois School

February 16, 2008

By Rex Bowman

Students at Virginia Tech, just 10 months removed from a deadly shooting rampage on their own campus, are reaching out to students at Northern Illinois University.

The Hokies are preparing to send student-signed banners to NIU and have already sent cards and flowers — which Tech received by the thousands after the April 16 murder of 32 students and teachers.

Tech junior Meredyth Kenney, 20, of Randolph, N.J., said the cards and condolences sent to Tech from around the world in April were uplifting, so students immediately wanted to help NIU students the same way.

Hokies United, a campus group, also met yesterday to respond to the tragedy.

They will place a red-and-black Hokie Stone — in Northern Illinois' colors — near the campus memorial dedicated to April 16 victims before sending representatives to deliver it to NIU in a week or two.

They have also asked the Tech and Blacksburg community to wear NIU's colors on Monday as a sign of support. A candlelight vigil is planned at dusk on Alumni Mall.

Tech President Charles W. Steger, meanwhile, has offered assistance to NIU's president.

"Our university community was bolstered and comforted by the outpouring of support from campuses around the nation and the world," Steger said in a letter sent to Tech students Thursday evening.

"I am sure that expressions of support from the Virginia Tech community will mean much to that now-suffering campus community."

But even before Steger urged Tech students to express their support for NIU, students had begun reacting. The Student Government Association agreed to send flowers to the SGA at the Illinois school, and the student legislative bodies agreed Thursday to send letters of condolence.

"Everyone here, obviously, is holding NIU close to their hearts," Tech spokesman Mark Owczarski said.

Early yesterday morning, Tech's Corps of Cadets observed a moment of silence at the flagpole in recognition of the NIU shooting. The Cranwell International Center, which works to support foreign students on campus, sent a card to NIU's international groups.

In his letter, Steger asked Tech students to keep an eye on each other and look for signs that the shootings at NIU might have caused their classmates emotional distress.

"I am convinced that our university community coped because of our care and concern for every member of the extended Hokie Family," he wrote. "I ask you to look out for each other and seek help through university services if necessary."

Rex Bowman can be reached at (540) 344-3612rbowman@timesdispatch.com