Anniversary Reactions to a Traumatic Event
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 22:00:00 -0400 From: Unirel@vt.edu To: Multiple recipients <LISTSERV@LISTSERV.VT.EDU> Subject: Anniversary Reactions to a Traumatic Event Here is some information from the university's Cook Counseling Center and the university Employee Relations Office. Source: National Mental Health Information Center of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Anniversary Reactions to a Traumatic Event: The Recovery Process Continues As the anniversary of a disaster or traumatic event approaches, many survivors report a return of restlessness and fear. Psychological literature calls it the anniversary reaction and defines it as an individual's response to unresolved grief resulting from significant losses. The anniversary reaction can involve several days or even weeks of anxiety, anger, nightmares, flashbacks, depression, or fear. On a more positive note, the anniversary of a disaster or traumatic event also can provide an opportunity for emotional healing. Individuals can make significant progress in working through the natural grieving process by recognizing, acknowledging, and paying attention to the feelings and issues that surface during their anniversary reaction. These feelings and issues can help individuals develop perspective on the event and figure out where it fits in their hearts, minds, and lives. It is important to note that not all survivors of a disaster or traumatic event experience an anniversary reaction. Those who do, however, may be troubled because they did not expect and do not understand their reaction. For these individuals, knowing what to expect in advance may be helpful. Common anniversary reactions among survivors of a disaster or traumatic event include: Memories, Dreams, Thoughts, and Feelings: Individuals may replay memories, thoughts, and feelings about the event, which they can't turn off. They may see repeated images and scenes associated with the trauma or relive the event over and over. They may have recurring dreams or nightmares. These reactions may be as vivid on the anniversary as they were at the actual time of the disaster or traumatic event. Grief and Sadness: Individuals may experience grief and sadness related to the loss of income, employment, a home, or a loved one. Even people who have moved to new homes often feel a sense of loss on the anniversary. Those who were forced to relocate to another community may experience intense homesickness for their old neighborhoods. Fear and Anxiety: Fear and anxiety may resurface around the time of the anniversary, leading to jumpiness, startled responses, and vigilance about safety. These feelings may be particularly strong for individuals who are still working through the grieving process. Frustration, Anger, and Guilt: The anniversary may reawaken frustration and anger about the disaster or traumatic event. Survivors may be reminded of the possessions, homes, or loved ones they lost; the time taken away from their lives; the frustrations with bureaucratic aspects of the recovery process; and the slow process of rebuilding and healing. Individuals may also experience guilt about survival. These feelings may be particularly strong for individuals who are not fully recovered financially and emotionally. Avoidance: Some survivors try to protect themselves from experiencing an anniversary reaction by avoiding reminders of the event and attempting to treat the anniversary as just an ordinary day. Even for these people, it can be helpful to learn about common reactions that they or their loved ones may encounter, so they are not surprised if reactions occur. Remembrance: Many survivors welcome the cleansing tears, commemoration, and fellowship that the anniversary of the event offers. They see it as a time to honor the memory of what they have lost. They might light a candle, share favorite memories and stories, or attend a worship service. Reflection: The reflection brought about by the anniversary of a disaster or traumatic event is often a turning point in the recovery process. It is an opportunity for people to look back over the past year, recognize how far they have come, and give themselves credit for the challenges they surmounted. It is a time for survivors to look inward and to recognize and appreciate the courage, stamina, endurance, and resourcefulness that they and their loved ones showed during the recovery process. It is a time for people to look around and pause to appreciate the family members, friends, and others who supported them through the healing process. It is also a time when most people can look forward with a renewed sense of hope and purpose. Although these thoughts, feelings, and reactions can be very upsetting, it helps to understand that it is normal to have strong reactions to a disaster or traumatic event and its devastation many months later. Recovery from a disaster or traumatic event takes time, and it requires rebuilding on many levels - physically, emotionally, and spiritually. However, with patience, understanding, and support from family members and friends, you can emerge from a disaster or traumatic event stronger than before. If you are still having trouble coping, ask for help. Consult a counselor or mental health professional. At Virginia Tech, students should contact the Cook Counseling Center at 231-6557. Faculty and staff can contact the Employee Assistance Center at 866-725-0602 or Employee Relations at 231-9331. - end -
Hokie Spirit defines Virginia Tech a year later...
Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:15:25 -0400 From: Virginia Tech Alumni Association <vatechalumni@vt.edu> To: All Alumni 4-10-08 <vatechalumni@vt.edu> Subject: Hokie Spirit defines Virginia Tech a year later... Hokie Spirit defines Virginia Tech a year later... Last April, the world's attention focused on a campus community ripped to its very core with the grief and pain of a tragedy unparalleled in the history of American higher education. And what they observed was more powerful than they ever expected... they saw a campus filled with energetic students and talented faculty that displayed grace, poise and fortitude beyond all imagination -- a community fueled by something we know as Hokie spirit. That spirit reaches deep and spreads beyond the campus throughout our 200,000 alumni, and indeed across the entire globe. Yes, Hokie spirit emerged from tragedy and impressed a world that was brought closer by the media to witness the strength and resilience of the entire Hokie Nation. On this anniversary our attention turns respectfully to the families who lost their loved ones last April 16th and to the students injured that day who are successfully putting their lives back together. It is a day of remembrance. The victims will be honored at a ceremony that will take place Wednesday on the Drillfield at 10:30 A.M. EDT. It will be televised by various media and streamed through the university's website www.vt.edu. President Steger and Virginia's Governor Kaine will make remarks. Other participatory events are being held throughout the day, and a candlelight vigil at dusk will signal the end of the day's observances. The university is grateful for the expressions of support that have flowed from loyal alumni and friends around the world since last April. These expressions have come in the form of almost every artifact imaginable. To date, 87,000 different items (some displayed in our Alumni Center Museum on April 16th only). In excess of $9.5 million in memorial gifts. Special appearances by the Dave Matthews Band and the NY Yankees. Plus thousands upon thousands of well-wishing letters, e-mails and phone calls. And perhaps the most recent signal of prevailing Hokie spirit is the acceptance rate by students who have been offered admission to the university this coming fall - already hundreds ahead of last fall, which was itself a record-breaking year. We see such optimism and spirit in the faces of our students, often represented by the countless hours they have poured into VT-ENGAGE service activities. Similarly, our alumni are honoring the university's year of renewal with a range of service activities, including participation in our "VirginiaTechforlife" blood drives staged by alumni chapters. At the dedication of our permanent April 16th Memorial last August, SGA President Adeel Khan summed it up exceptionally well... Take time to remember the legacies, remember the dreams and remember the talent that our community has lost. I hope you are inspired to work harder to honor the 32. Share you talents with the world for the 32. Achieve your dreams for the 32. Be more compassionate, friendly and thoughtful for the 32. Be better, for the 32. In 2008, we remember the 32; we are thankful for the survivors; and we are proud we share together that incredible Hokie spirit. Tom Tillar Vice President for Alumni Relations
Tom Tillar / Virginia Tech Alumni Association
They say you never forget where you are when you hear life altering news. On April 16, 2007, I was in my car driving back to work from lunch. It was a beautiful spring day in Cincinnati. My window was down and The Frey was playing in the CD player. All of a sudden, my Nextel went off. It was the Sales Manager from work. He told me that there were reports coming in that there was a shooting at Virginia Tech. At least 22 had been confirmed dead...I just remember thinking to myself that this had to be some kind of mistake...Some kind of joke... I was born and raised in Blacksburg. I attended Tech and graduated with a degree in Soc in 1998. My memories of the community, of the University? They are simply untouchable. The sweet smell after a spring or summer rain. The Dogwood trees. The limestone buildings. The Drillfield. The community that, eventhough I had moved away from, was still so much a part of me. For the next week I watched with the rest of the world as Blacksburg and Virginia Tech took over every major station in America. However, I watched with a broken and heavy heart. What I felt, no one else around me could understand. I grieved with the Hokie Nation as if I were a part of it. Then I realized I still was. Now, almost a full year later, my heart is still just as heavy as it was. I think of my beloved home and cringe at the thought of someone destroying its innocent sidewalks, buildings...The dorm where I had lived my freshman year. Still, I know I will never forget where my home is. I will never forget where I came from. Most importantly, I will never forget where I was when I heard that so many of my Hokie family members had been taken from me far too soon. My only hope is that one day we will all be able to think about Virginia Tech and not forget. I hope too, one day we will be able to remember our happier times that the University gave us, as it helped make us into the strong adults that we are today.
Yankee Day at Virginia Tech: The Healing Power of Empathy and Entertainment
It was quite a day. The New York Yankees came to town and whipped my Virginia Tech Hokies, 11-0. I have never been so happy to lose. Since the tragedy on our campus last April, emotions have often been close to the surface, but on this day there was joy in Hokieville, and gratitude that the Yankees cared enough to come. Our university has been gradually healing. Events like the Yankee game have helped - even though we remembered why we were there. Life on campus is returning to normal, though normal may never be quite the same. In some ways it is better. The Virginia Tech community was relatively tight knit before, but this past year has brought us even closer. Students, alumni, faculty, and staff seem ever more willing to listen to a friend, to help a neighbor, to give back - perhaps due to a greater sense of empathy, or a need to rebalance our world with good. From my office window in Hutcheson Hall, I can see the memorial that sits across the Drillfield. Much of the time when I look out, someone is there, as they are right now. But just before noon on March 18, when more people had gathered than normal, I knew the Yankees were about to arrive. They had not announced a specific time they would visit the site, but I was sure they would. My friend Jeff and I hurried over, just as the buses pulled up. The players walked around the 32 engraved stones, and stood silently as President Steger told them how a student group called Hokies United had placed the original stones, right after the shootings. The site had quickly become a focal point for remembering and for healing. A student near me said that she was a big Yankee fan and that one of the victims had been her fiancé. As the players filed around the semi-circle in front of the stones, she asked Alex Rodriguez to sign the back of her shirt, which bore a picture of the person she deeply missed. He did. She said it was one of the greatest moments of her life. Rodriguez later said he was never prouder to be a Yankee. Jason Giambi started signing autographs, and like a kid I asked him to sign my baseball cap. It felt funny fighting back tears while a baseball player signed my hat. The movie line "There is no crying in baseball!" applies double to gray-haired professors. The players got back on their buses for the ride across campus to prepare for the game. Jeff and I walked to the ball field. Tickets to the game had been distributed by lottery to students, faculty, and staff. When Jeff won a ticket, I was happy for him. When he saw I had not, he offered me his, even though he is a lifelong Yankee fan. He is a true friend. In the end, another friend who had won was not able to go. He gave me his ticket so Jeff and could go together. When the Yankees took the field for warm ups, several players signed autographs as students swarmed. Batting practice followed, and a ceremony - with 32 balloons released to the sky. Then the game was played. The Yankees started their front line players, and in the third inning a Hokie pitcher even retired the Bronx Bombers in order. All the Hokie players got into the game. After each inning, they slapped each other on the back and smiled from ear to ear. You could feel the healing. Thank you Mr. Steinbrenner: I am a diehard Minnesota Twins fan, but will never again be able to root against your Yankees. The past year at Virginia Tech has taught me a lot about the power of empathy and the surprising role that sports and other forms of entertainment can play in a healing process. Not only did the Yankees come, but Dave Mathews and John Mayer did as well, donating a concert that filled the stadium for a special evening. Events like these have brought happiness and tears. Both have helped. Before last April, many people would ask, "What is a Hokie?" No one asked that in the days after the tragedy, but many messages arrived with the words, "We are all Hokies today." Penn State fans dressed in Hokie colors for their spring football game. Others around the country also wore Virginia Tech gear. The message of caring was clear. This winter, many at Virginia Tech wore Northern Illinois colors following the horrific event on that campus. We know how the Huskies feel. Since the tragedy, I have received messages of support from around the world, including some from high school classmates I have not seen for 40 years. Virginia Tech has received countless messages and millions of dollars in donations for the victims. It is impossible to adequately express the gratitude we feel for such an outpouring of support. All that I or anyone at Virginia Tech can say to you is: Thank You. We are all Hokies, Huskies, and Nittany Lions today.
The Moon-After, Virginia Tech Memorial (2007) 40"x30" oil on canvas It is the first time the full moon is observed after the massacre of Virginia Tech. For many, the moon will never look the same again. This is a quest to extract the feelings for the souls that will be missed in the lives of many, and for the souls among us that were touched in different ways. A trans-mix of materialistic and spiritual elements is represented by colorless buildings, lilies to convey an overwhelming feeling of surprise, shock, grieve and hope. Thirty-two different types of lilies in white and orange emerge from the gray-shaded mix of figures, symbolizing the spirits of the 32 victims. With the absence of the victims from sight, they become like images, or like seasonal plants, that are soon gone. Lilies were chosen to represent the diversity of the victims, as lilies grow all over the world in different types. The work on this memorial started with the first full moon after the massacre, and was concluded early June 2007. Original Source: http://www.tonysky.net/tony/pntg12.htm
Candlelight vigil held on one year anniversary of 4/16. On the drillfield with Burruss Hall in background. Photo by Roger Gupta. -- Original Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/spector1/2419674035/
NIU to Va. Tech: 'We understand what you're going through'
By Chris Green RRSTAR.COM Posted Apr 16, 2008 @ 11:00 PM Last update Apr 17, 2008 @ 07:38 AM DEKALB — Northern Illinois University senior Sonia Salazar said Virginia Tech students put their feelings of sorrow on hold to help the students at NIU heal. And on Wednesday, Salazar was joined by nearly a thousand other NIU students and staff who wanted to return the support for the students at Virginia Tech. NIU students and University President John Peters recognized the one-year anniversary of the shooting deaths at the Virginia Tech campus with a candlelight vigil in the Martin Luther King Commons, an outdoor venue in the center of the campus near the student center. One year ago Wednesday, a gunman took the lives of 32 Virginia Tech students and faculty before taking his own. It was the largest such campus massacre in the history of the country. Peters recalled the initial hours and days following the Feb. 14 slayings at NIU, when five students were shot and killed by Steven Kazmierczak, who also took his own life. He said the entire campus felt "isolated." "We simply couldn't imagine that anyone else could understand what we are going through." Then the phone calls and e-mails came in. "We understand what you are going through. You are not alone." Peters said a "collective hand of support" was extended from Blacksburg, Va., to DeKalb. "They shared openly and lovingly." The two universities are linked not only in their empathy for one another, but also by an unnerving coincidence. Green Bay gun dealer Eric Thompson told authorities his Web site, topglock.com, sold two empty 9 mm Glock magazines and a Glock holster to Kazmierczak on Feb. 4, just 10 days before the 27-year-old opened fire in a campus classroom. Another Web site run by Thompson's company, www.thegunstore.com, also sold a Walther .22-caliber handgun to Seung-Hui Cho, who shot down 32 people on the Virginia Tech campus before killing himself. Peters added, "One day, two Virginia Tech students came by my office and surprised me. They gave me a hug. I needed it." Nolan Owen, 19, a freshman on the university's football team recruited from California, said he could relate to the surprise visit from the Virginia Tech students. "After the shootings here, I flew home. I had all my NIU gear with me, and people at the airport and on the plane hugged me. They cared." David Duma, 22, an NIU senior, said attending Wednesday's vigil was the least he could do to pay respect not only to the students who lost their lives, but to the Virginia Tech Hokies who are forever united with the NIU Huskies. "They came all the way from Virgina to be with us." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Staff writer Chris Green can be reached at 815-987-1241 or cgreen@rrstar.com. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Generic -- Original Source: http://www.rrstar.com/communities/x480408142
By Dick Durbin RRSTAR.COM Posted Apr 17, 2008 @ 10:59 PM This week, our nation marked the anniversary of the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech that took 32 lives and wounded 17 other people. Just two months ago, our state was stunned to witness a similar tragic shooting at Northern Illinois University in which 5 students were killed and 17 were wounded. I cannot imagine the magnitude of heartbreak and pain for friends and families of those killed or the trauma borne by those who survived these tragedies. As we mourn the loss of so many promising young lives, it is important also to learn from these tragedies. So what are those lessons? The first is to consider the tortured mind of the shooter. Mental illness is an illness, not a curse. It can and should be treated. Many who receive appropriate counseling and medication lead normal, stable and happy lives. But our laws ignore this reality. We have created legal and financial obstacles to appropriate care. This year, for the first time in a decade, the U.S. Senate has passed a bill to give mental health parity with physical health under the law. The House of Representatives also has passed legislation, and we are negotiating a compromise to fulfill the promise of health parity for millions facing mental health problems. But the challenge of mental health on our college campuses is unique. Many mental illnesses manifest themselves in this period when young people leave the security of home and regular medical care. The responsibility for the students' well-being shifts many times to colleges and universities struggling with limited resources. The situation is growing worse. Studies show that 10 percent of college students have contemplated suicide and 45 percent have felt so depressed that it was difficult to function. Colleges also are encountering students who 10 to 20 years ago would not have been able to attend school because of mental illness, but who can do so today because of advances in treatment of such illness. To meet the increased need, many schools have tried to increase mental-health education and outreach efforts. But the ratio of students to counselors is growing. Currently, there is only one counselor for every 2,000 students on our college campuses. NIU and Virginia Tech taught us that mental-health parity and better campus counseling services are not only critical in preventing these tragedies, but in dealing with the aftermath. The victims were not just those who were killed or injured in the shootings. Others have mental scars that are less obvious than bullet wounds but often slower to heal. The emotional trauma experienced by many students, faculty and families might require years of therapy and counseling. Finally, when the unthinkable does happen, as it did at Virginia Tech and NIU, we need to respond quickly and effectively to the immediate and long-term needs of the affected college community. Our colleges and law-enforcement agencies have made great strides in preparing for and responding to active-shooter situations, progress reflected in the admirable response to the NIU shootings. But we also need to view these violent tragedies on our campuses for what they are — catastrophes, like natural disasters, that require a sustained and coordinated recovery effort in the months that follow. We have a federal agency to deal with hurricanes, earthquakes and floods. But there is no central federal resource to help guide college communities through the recovery process. In the days and weeks after the shootings in DeKalb, NIU officials found themselves being led in circles through the bureaucracies at the federal departments of Education, Justice, and Health and Human Services, not to mention numerous state agencies. These entities, all of whom were well-meaning, often didn't talk to one another, forcing school officials and victims' families to navigate a red-tape maze to find answers to even their simplest questions. Just as we expect a coordinated emergency response to a flood or tornado, we need to ensure that victims, their families and college communities are able to receive similar assistance in the wake of these personal disasters. Reflecting on the loss of his own son, the well-known minister the Rev. William Sloan Coffin once said, "When parents die, they take with them a portion of the past. But when children die, they take away the future as well." As we mourn those lost at Virginia Tech, NIU and other schools across the country, we must learn from these incidents, work to avoid them and improve our response when they do occur. Dick Durbin, a Democrat, is a U.S. senator from Illinois. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Generic -- Original Source: http://www.rrstar.com/opinions/x1498098116
By Jeff Gilbride/Daily News staff Daily News Tribune Posted Apr 15, 2008 @ 12:43 AM WALTHAM — A year ago Wednesday, Kalynn Cook's childhood friend was killed when Seung-Hui Cho opened fire on the Virginia Tech campus. To mark the first anniversary and to remember her friend, Erin Peterson, the Brandeis freshman from Sterling, Va., planned a candlelight vigil for tomorrow night. "I'm from northern Virginia and I came up here for school. When it got to be April I knew that the one-year anniversary would be coming up. I looked at the Brandeis calendar of events and I noticed there wasn't anything scheduled," she said. "I decided to talk to some of my friends who happen to be involved in student activism. They suggested I host an event myself." Cook said she contacted the student organization Democracy for America, which helped organize the event. Starting at 7 p.m. tomorrow, students will read a biography of each person killed in the massacre, hold a prayer service and conduct an open forum to discuss the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history. Cho cut down his victims in two attacks two hours apart before the university could grasp what was happening and warn students. The bloodbath ended with the gunman committing suicide. Thirty-two individual flames will be lit, one for each of the victims. "(Democracy for America) handles activism. I went to one of their meetings and they decided to sponsor me. I got some materials from them and I got some advice," she said. "I spoke to Father Walter Cuenin (a Brandeis chaplain) and he's going to be speaking at the vigil ... it doesn't just affect the Virginia Tech community, but college communities all over the nation." Since the killings, Brandeis University officials adopted a number of precautionary measures to ensure the safety of students. "Certainly Virginia Tech marked a very significant turning point for us wanting to look for as many measures to help best inform people on campus on what to do in the event of an emergency," said Brandeis spokesman Dennis Nealon "It's all a work in progress to address emergency warning issues." Nealon said Brandeis officials instituted a number of precautionary communication measures under what is now referred to as the Brandeis Emergency Notification System. One step was to place towers around campus that serve as warning sirens in case of an emergency. "The intention of the sirens is to tell people to go indoors and to proceed to get whatever information they need about what the particular emergency is," Nealon said. "Another step was that every land (line) phone on campus was equipped with a small video screen." Nealon said the video screens can display a written notice or audible message in case of an emergency. "We'll inform people that an emergency situation has developed and we'll tell them what steps to take," he said. "We also have an 80 percent voluntary response from students to our initiative to gather as many cell phone numbers as we could. The university now can send text messages directly to people's cell phones." Bentley College in Waltham also uses a similar campus alert system, through a program called "Connect-Ed." Bentley spokeswoman Michelle Walsh said the school collected cell phone numbers from almost the entire college community to send out a text message or voice mail message in case of an emergency. Walsh said Bentley College had taken most of these precautionary measures before the Virginia Tech massacre. He said the incident caused campus officials to review existing communications and security. Bentley College has a crisis planning team comprised of staff and students that meets twice a month. The team holds "tabletop drills," in which they map out scenarios of potential emergencies and discuss how to deal with them. "The crisis planning team meets twice a month and has been well before the Virginia Tech tragedy. Following the tragedy was a review of what would happen if we had an equivalent situation," Walsh said. "I think the most important thing is our crisis planning team works closely with the campus police ... you learn from every school (tragedy). If a school meets regularly, the better prepared they are, no matter what the situation." Unlike their counterparts at Bentley, Brandeis University Police officers are unarmed, a practice that is expected to change this summer. Last year, Brandeis President Jehuda Reinharz announced he accepted a recommendation of an eight-member university firearms panel to equip Brandeis Police with guns. "An advisory committee (was) formed initially of faculty and students to look at the issue in light of the Virginia Tech tragedy," Nealon said. "That committee gave a yes-vote to the president (that the police should be armed)." Nealon said the tragedy reignited the topic of arming Brandeis Police, which was discussed randomly in previous years. "The Virginia Tech tragedy did spur that discussion again," Nealon said. "About 20 officers have been undergoing field and psychological training. ... They are all being certified at the state police academy in Massachusetts." Jeff Gilbride can be reached at 781-398-8005 or at jgilbrid@cnc.com Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Generic -- Original Source: http://www.dailynewstribune.com/homepage/x818433112
Local colleges reflect on Va. Tech shootings
By Peter Reuell/Daily News staff The MetroWest Daily News Posted Apr 16, 2008 @ 12:35 AM ASHLAND — A year after the shooting massacre that left 33 people dead at Virginia Tech, security remains a concern on local college campuses. On campuses from Framingham to Franklin, officials said, the aftershocks of the shooting - and a more recent incident at Northern Illinois University, which left five others dead - are still being felt. After the April 16, 2007, killings at Virginia Tech, many schools quickly re-evaluated their security plans, particularly their ability to communicate with faculty and staff in a crisis. At many, including Framingham State College, the solution was to install a system that allows administrators to send emergency messages by phone and computer to the entire campus at the touch of a button. "You learn from the incident, and it allows you to, perhaps, make changes in your own systems," said Framingham State spokesman Peter Chisholm. The school later this month plans to finish installing a siren that will alert students, faculty and staff to campuswide emergencies. "At every college or university campus in the country, I'm sure, the president and public safety administrators sat down and reviewed what they had in place, and what improvements they could make," Chisholm said. The incident that sparked those meetings happened a year ago today in Blacksburg, Va. Just after 7 a.m., disturbed Virginia Tech student Seung-Hui Cho killed two students in a dormitory, then went on a shooting rampage in a classroom building, eventually killing 32 people and himself. At Massachusetts Bay Community College in Wellesley, administrators are close to installing a campuswide notification system similar to Framingham State's. They have held numerous meetings to review the school's crisis policies. "There's a method or protocol for just about every situation that could arise on campus," said Lisa Cascio, the school's director of communications and public affairs. "When something like this happens, every campus across the country feels vulnerable." Along with an emergency communications system, Franklin's Dean College officials rely on an emergency alarm, which alerts everyone on campus to emergencies. "We've trained everybody to know - students, faculty and staff - if you hear that alarm, that means check your text messages," said Pat Samson, director of public relations and communications. "I think incidents like these, it's not that it raised the priority. I think it refocused attention," she added. "We want to make sure everything is up to date. "I think it sharpens the focus. (Safety) is in the top three things, so it's always on the minds of the college's administrators, and the families and the students. When these events happen, things just come more sharply into focus." (Peter Reuell can be reached at 508-626-4428 or preuell@cnc.com.) Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Generic -- Original Source: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x489723324
On Virginia Tech anniversary, Saugus mom lobbies for changes
By Mike Gaffney GateHouse News Service Posted Apr 16, 2008 @ 01:37 PM SAUGUS — A year after she lost her son Ross in the Virginia Tech shootings, Lynnette Alameddine is fighting for legislation that would require universities to issue campus emergency notifications in 30 minutes or less. Wednesday marked the first anniversary of the massacre at Virginia Tech. One of the 33 victims of the deadliest school shooting in this country's history was Ross Alameddine, 20, a Saugus resident and college sophomore known for his sharp wit and uncanny ability to make people laugh. In a recent interview, Lynnette Alameddine declined to reflect upon Ross's death and its affect on her family for personal reasons. But she found the courage during an emotionally draining week to talk about the causes she is championing so other parents do not have to experience the same heartbreak. Over the last few months Alameddine has been working closely with Security on Campus Inc., a nonprofit organization committed to improving student safety at institutions of higher learning. Security on Campus wants to strengthen the Jeanne Clery Act that requires colleges to warn their campuses about crimes that present ongoing threats in a "timely" manner. The problem with the federal legislation, Alameddine explained, is the act fails to define what "timely" means. As a result, warnings are sometimes issued many hours after a university becomes aware of an emergency, or even the next day. History shows that colleges do not always follow the guidelines of the Clery Act. Alameddine mentioned one particularly troublesome case at Eastern Michigan University when a coed was found raped and murdered in a residence hall, but officials issued a statement that no foul play was suspected in her death. Alameddine and Security on Campus hope Congress revises the Clery Act so universities must initiate a warning process within 30 minutes of an emergency being confirmed. Thus far Alameddine said a bill has been introduced at the House to include the 30-minute time limit in the renewed Higher Education Amendments of 2008, but no such clause exists in the legislation being worked on at the Senate level. "There has been a lot of resistance from university presidents who don't feel they can complete the notifications in that amount of time," Alameddine said. Mere minutes can mean the difference between life and death when a threat of a shooter surfaces on a college campus, Alameddine pointed out. In the case of the Virginia Tech Tragedy, two hours passed between the discovery of the shooter's first two victims in a dormitory and when the university sent out its alert. Alameddine traveled to Washington, D.C., recently to share her concerns with an advisor on Sen. Edward Kennedy's staff and the vice president of Security on Campus. Her daughter, Yvonne, has become the president on Facebook for the Students for Emergency Warnings in 30 Minutes or Less. A decision on the specific language included in the Higher Education Amendments is expected by the end of the month. With this looming deadline in mind, the Alameddines are encouraging the public to call or e-mail their senators to request they support the mandatory campus warning provision of 30 minutes or less. For more information on this cause, log on to www.securityoncampus.org. "I think this has the potential to prevent tragedies from happening," Alameddine said. "It is shocking that colleges and universities don't notify people about emergencies on campus." Advocating gun control Another concern of Alameddine's is how easy it can be to secure a firearm. Earlier this month she attended a gala in the nation's capital sponsored by the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, an organization that strives to enact and enforce sensible gun laws. The gala featured a special tribute to the survivors and families affected by the Virginia Tech shooting. Also honored was Abby Spangler, a Virginia native and staunch gun control supporter affiliated with the Web site www.protesteasyguns.com. After the Virginia Tech shootings, Spangler took it upon herself to hold a silent protest expressing outrage over the senseless loss of human life. The movement eventually evolved into a phenomenon culminating with the National Lie-In. On April 16, the grassroots group organized 80 lie-ins in 31 states. To honor the memory of the Virginia Tech victims, Alameddine said each protest involved 32 people — signifying the number of students and teachers killed by shooter Cho Seung-Hui — who dressed in black with Virginia Tech colors and laid down for three minutes. "That's how long it takes someone to get a gun in this country," Alameddine said. Several lie-ins were held in the Boston area, including a silent protest organized at Simmons College by Katie McKendrey, a close friend of Ross Alameddine's. From the research she has conducted, Alameddine said it is alarming how effortless it is for people to purchase guns. She hopes to close the existing loophole that allows private dealers at gun shows to sell firearms to customers without conducting a background check. According to statistics collected by www.protesteasyguns.com, approximately 40 percent of sales at the 5,000 gun shows held every year in this country are made by unlicensed sellers who aren't required to perform background checks. At last count 35 states had yet to close this loophole. Alameddine is convinced the time has come to take action and close the loophole so the guns used in crimes no longer find their way into the wrong hands. Although Alameddine acknowledged the need to respect the rights of the National Rifle Association, she said precautions should be taken so firearms are kept away from dangerous individuals and off college campuses. Gun control laws differ considerably from state to state, which Alameddine noted can lead to troubling circumstances where common sense isn't always taken into account. For example, she expressed concern over finding out some universities allow students to carry concealed weapons on campus. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Generic -- Original Source: http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x883016434
The intangible bond between two broken hearts
The post title isn't an exact quote (because it would've been damn hard taking notes while trying to hold a lit candle (and, more importantly, given the windy conditions this evening, keeping it lit) from the remarks of NIU President John G. Peters at tonight's candlelight vigil at Northern Illinois University to honor the memory of the Hokies who lost their lives a year ago today. But they're a close approximation: I know he used both phrases in his speech, though I can't swear that they were that closely connected. Nevertheless, it's a good description for the relationship that will forevermore exist between our two campuses, our two communities. We're both members of a club that nobody wants to join--and would to God that NIU and Virginia Tech were the last two ever given the opportunity to join it. We speak each other's language: a language that neither of us was looking to learn, and one that both of us would rather we hadn't had the opportunity to learn at all. But we have learned it, and having learnt it, we cannot--and should not--forget it. The image is the design of the T-shirts that were handed out to the first 900 people who came to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commons. I'm happy to report that there weren't any shirts left that I could see, meaning we had at least that many people at the event. Among them, God love them both, were two Virginia Tech students. They gave up the opportunity to be with their compatriots in Blacksburg at their own vigil today so they could come and support us--even as we tried to show our support for them and their fellow Hokies. Their presence is just the latest in a long line of expressions of support that Virginia Tech and its campus community have offered to us in the wake of our own tragedy two months ago--support for which we are eternally and profoundly grateful, and which we can never truly repay. Somehow, though, I don't think my Hokie brethren and sistren will mind. Tonight's vigil was a concrete and physical reminder of a spiritual reality that my faith tradition has taught for centuries: that we are all one body, one family--and our destiny is to help one another along the road we each must travel from cradle to grave. Yes, Virginia, you are your brother's keeper--as I am yours. Or, as Jesus told his disciples in Matthew's Gospel: á½Ï„Î±Î½ δὲ ἔλθῃ á½ υἱὸς τοῦ á¼€Î½Î¸Ïá½½Ï€Î¿Ï… á¼Î½ τῇ δόξῃ Î±á½Ï„Î¿á¿¦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄγγελοι μετ' Î±á½Ï„Î¿á¿¦, τότε καθίσει á¼Ï€á½¶ Î¸Ïá½¹Î½Î¿Ï… δόξης Î±á½Ï„Î¿á¿¦Î‡ καὶ συναχθήσονται á¼”Î¼Ï€ÏÎ¿ÏƒÎ¸ÎµÎ½ Î±á½Ï„Î¿á¿¦ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ á¼€Ï†Î¿Ïá½·ÏƒÎµÎ¹ Î±á½Ï„Î¿á½ºÏ‚ ἀπ' ἀλλήλων, á½¥ÏƒÏ€ÎµÏ á½ ποιμὴν á¼€Ï†Î¿Ïá½·Î¶ÎµÎ¹ τὰ Ï€Ïá½¹Î²Î±Ï„Î± ἀπὸ τῶν á¼Ïá½·Ï†Ï‰Î½, καὶ στήσει τὰ μὲν Ï€Ïá½¹Î²Î±Ï„Î± á¼Îº δεξιῶν Î±á½Ï„Î¿á¿¦, τὰ δὲ á¼Ïá½·Ï†Î¹Î± á¼Î¾ Îµá½Ï‰Î½á½»Î¼Ï‰Î½. τότε á¼ÏÎµá¿– á½ βασιλεὺς τοῖς á¼Îº δεξιῶν Î±á½Ï„Î¿á¿¦Î‡ δεῦτε οἱ Îµá½Î»Î¿Î³Î·Î¼á½³Î½Î¿Î¹ τοῦ Ï€Î±Ï„Ïá½¹Ï‚ μου, ÎºÎ»Î·ÏÎ¿Î½Î¿Î¼á½µÏƒÎ±Ï„Îµ τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου. á¼Ï€Îµá½·Î½Î±ÏƒÎ± Î³á½°Ï καὶ á¼Î´á½½ÎºÎ±Ï„á½³ μοι φαγεῖν, á¼Î´á½·ÏˆÎ·ÏƒÎ± καὶ á¼Ï€Î¿Ï„á½·ÏƒÎ±Ï„á½³ με, ξένος ἤμην καὶ συνηγάγετέ με, γυμνὸς καὶ Ï€ÎµÏÎ¹ÎµÎ²á½±Î»ÎµÏ„á½³ με, á¼ σθένησα καὶ á¼Ï€ÎµÏƒÎºá½³ÏˆÎ±ÏƒÎ¸á½³ με, á¼Î½ φυλακῇ ἤμην καὶ ἤλθατε Ï€Ïá½¹Ï‚ με. τότε á¼€Ï€Î¿ÎºÏÎ¹Î¸á½µÏƒÎ¿Î½Ï„Î±Î¹ Î±á½Ï„á¿· οἱ δίκαιοι λέγοντες· Îºá½»ÏÎ¹Îµ, πότε σε εἴδομεν πεινῶντα καὶ á¼Î¸Ïá½³ÏˆÎ±Î¼ÎµÎ½, ἢ διψῶντα καὶ á¼Ï€Î¿Ï„á½·ÏƒÎ±Î¼ÎµÎ½; πότε δέ σε εἴδομεν ξένον καὶ συνηγάγομεν, ἢ γυμνὸν καὶ Ï€ÎµÏÎ¹ÎµÎ²á½±Î»Î¿Î¼ÎµÎ½; πότε δέ σε εἴδομεν ἀσθενοῦντα ἢ á¼Î½ φυλακῇ καὶ ἤλθομεν Ï€Ïá½¹Ï‚ σε; καὶ á¼€Ï€Î¿ÎºÏÎ¹Î¸Îµá½¶Ï‚ á½ βασιλεὺς á¼ÏÎµá¿– Î±á½Ï„Î¿á¿–Ï‚Î‡ ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, á¼Ï†' ὅσον á¼Ï€Î¿Î¹á½µÏƒÎ±Ï„Îµ ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν á¼Î»Î±Ï‡á½·ÏƒÏ„Ï‰Î½, á¼Î¼Î¿á½¶ á¼Ï€Î¿Î¹á½µÏƒÎ±Ï„Îµ. Whenever the Son of Man may come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon the throne of his glory: and all the nations will be gathered together in his presence, and he shall divide them one from another just as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep upon his right hand, and the goats upon his left. Then will the Ruler say to those upon his right: "Come here, you who are blessed of my Father; inherit the realm that was prepared for you before the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; thirsty, and you gave me to drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked, and you clothed me. I was ill and you looked after me, in prison, and you came to me." Then the just will reply to him, saying: "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?" And the Ruler will say to them in answer, "Amen I tell you, as often as you did it for one of these the least of my brothers or my sisters, you did it for me." --Matthew 25:31-40, my translation from the original Greek The campus community of Virginia Tech has lived out that Gospel pericope. Tonight's vigil was one small downpayment on NIU's attempt to do so. It will not be the last, I'm sure. Nor should it be. 22:13 in NIU, Personal | Permalink Story by Michael Spires. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Generic -- Original Source: http://musing85.typepad.com/blog/2008/04/the-intangible.html
On One Year Anniversary of VT, Many Move On But Remember
By Can Tran April 16, 2008 April 16, 2008, marks the one year anniversary of the Virginia Tech massacre as Korean student Cho Seung-hui in a fit of madness and depression went on a shooting rampage as he took the lives of thirty-two students and teachers on the Virginia Tech campus, before turning the gun on himself. This day would forever be engraved as a moment of darkness in the history of twenty-first century American let alone for Virginia Tech. While a year has pasted with many working hard to move away from the dark incident, there are those that are still coping. Many have lost friends and family members in the Virginia Tech shooting. Bryan Cloyd lost his daughter Austin, in the VT shooting. "I won't be able to walk my daughter down the aisle at her wedding. I won't be able to bounce her children on my knee," Bryan Cloyd said. He added: "And I don't think it's helpful to dwell on that, because where that leads is just more sadness. I think what's helpful to do is to dwell on what can be. What can we do with what we have?" In the case of Cho, the one responsible for the shooting; there are no public memorials planned. In related news, eight months after the Virginia Tech shooting, 21-year-old Korean student Daniel Kim had taken his own life. His father, William Kim, said that the school was not taking the warning signs of suicide that serious. In the case of Daniel Kim, he fell into state of depression out of fear that he could be mistaken for Cho Seung-hui. The scars of the Virginia Tech shooting could extend towards South Korea, whose government had issued an apology for Cho's actions. On an interesting note, the one year anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting comes on the same day as the Democratic debate in Pennsylvania between Democratic frontrunners Senator Hillary Clinton of New York and Senator Barack Obama of Illinois. On that note, the hot button topic could be gun ownership rights. In Pennsylvania, there are almost one-million licensed hunters. There are at least 250,000 registered members of the NRA living in the state of Pennsylvania, making it the one state with the largest number of members. However, there is at least one gun-related death a day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For that reason, Philadelphia is known as "Killadelphia." However, the issue of guns could possibly be overshadowed by "green jobs." The day of the April 22 Democratic primaries is the same day as Earth Day. Licensed under Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License -- Original Source: http://www.groundreport.com/US/On-One-Year-Anniversary-of-VT-Many-Move-On-But-Rem
Artist's Comments I am a Virginia Tech student. I was affected by the tragedy in ways that I hope no one else experiences. In honor of the victims and as a way to express myself, I created this remembrance image in 3D Studio Max and Photoshop. Thank you. Image by Nick Bowman. Licensed under Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License -- Original Source: http://inuxmedia.deviantart.com/art/A-Virginia-Tech-Remembrance-83019165
Reflections as a Director of a Psychology Training Clinic on the shooting tragedy at Virginia Tech (Written for the Association of Directors of Psychology Training Clinics) On the morning of April 16, 2007, a male student shot to death 32 students and faculty, wounded 17 more, and then killed himself on the campus of Virginia Tech. In the midst of unspeakable grief, the Virginia Tech and Blacksburg community, with tremendous support from many people, did an incredible job of responding as best as it could to meet the needs of those most deeply affected. My purpose of this article is to briefly describe my experiences and reflections on the role of the psychology training clinic and my role as the Director in the days following this particularly tragic event. To better understand our response, a brief description of the type and structure of clinical services at Virginia Tech. Like any major higher-learning institution, Virginia Tech has an on-campus, university-based counseling center, the Cook Counseling Center, which has a staff of 10-12 full-time counselors, 3-5 interns, 3-5 externship students, and 1-2 psychiatrists. The Psychological Services Center of Virginia, of which I am the Director, is an off-campus, community-based training facility for the Ph.D. Clinical Psychology program in the Department of Psychology. At any one time, we typically have 20-25 graduate students in various stages of their training enrolled in clinical practicum and seeing clients. Additionally, the Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) program also has an off-campus training center for their graduate students. The Cook Counseling Center and the Psychological Services Center (and the MFT clinic) are separate facilities and organizations. Over the years, our relationship with the counseling center has been good especially in terms of reciprocal referral and training opportunities. In response to the shootings, the primary "clinical" responder to the university community was the Cook Counseling Center and the primary care service for the local community was the state operated Community Services Board, whereas the Psychological Services Center was viewed as one of a multitude of secondary "overflow" support systems. The Director of the Cook Counseling Center, who fortunately for Virginia Tech had prior direct disaster response experience, quickly and efficiently took the role as a leader of the psychological first aid response effort for the university. I was part of multiple meetings focused on the university's response to the shootings and my consistent observation was that everything seemed to be well covered by the staff of the Cook Counseling Center and related university systems (e.g., Student Affairs). Similarly, the number of professional therapists, counselors, disaster workers, Red Cross workers, state-mandated mental health crisis team members, state health insurance disaster workers, etc. that came to our town to help was immense. In sum, there was way more supportive/therapeutic help available than was needed, which was a good thing to see and feel as a community. In the meantime, many of our clinical psychology graduate students came to me with questions of what they could do and suggestions for what we could do. As it turned out, a significant subset of students helped out with the Red Cross. Similar to my perceptions about the abundance of "therapists", they noted many more disaster relief workers were available than needed. Another subset of students took to searching for information and developing an information-based manual for crisis response and management. This was a very gracious effort, and probably helped us more in terms of alleviating our own anxiety that we could be helpful than actually imparting previously unknown information. That is, being trained to be a "caring listener" was the most helpful clinical skill during these times. And yet another subset of students found their way into very helpful roles in the aftermath; being a "right hand person" for a disaster relief director; helping to orient visiting families, getting water and food for relief workers, etc. Honestly, our help as a training clinic was not needed or necessary. Being good people, being so close to a tragic event, and the fact that we are trained (or in training) psychologists, we felt driven to help and everyone did their best. I was, and continue to be, extremely proud of how our students reacted by giving of themselves to help others. But between all the service organizations and trained personnel provided by the state, city, and university, all was more than adequately covered. We had a few current and new clients come in for emergency-type sessions, but no onslaught of folks needing therapy. My take on it all now is that our role in helping was not as psychologists or therapists, but as fellow members of a shocked and grieving community. I did two related things that week that, at least I believe, reveal the essence of what was truly important in a time of crisis. One was listening to my wife when she announced two days after the shootings that she was tired of us watching the news and becoming numb, and then preceded to call our good friends and invite them to a casual dinner party that evening. In her own special way, she was saying what we needed to do was be with each other. The second thing, following this same theme, was that I held a meeting of all clinical psychology graduate students and faculty. In that meeting, I expressed my thoughts about the tremendous amount and level of care available to everyone in the community, that I truly appreciated the students' help and many offers of help, and that I was very proud of them. But, at that time, I felt that our path to recovery was to acknowledge that we were also affected by this tragedy, to let others do their job, support each other, and to grieve with each other. In short, be with each other. Moreover, our services will be needed in six months or so, and for many years beyond, and as such, we should focus on our own health and be ready when needed. Many have commented since then that this is what they needed to hear and helped them to move on with their own recovery. Upon reflection, my most effective act as a Director was to let the students know that being a psychologist for the community was not their job, rather, to be a loving partner, friend, student, mentor, colleague, and parent was their duty in such tragedy and sadness, as it was mine. Lee Cooper Director, Psychological Services Center Department of Psychology Virginia Tech
Teams line up at the opening ceremony before the balloons are released. Photo by Tarish Smith. -- Original Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarish/2344459376/
Ticket for the Yankees vs. Hokies exhibition game at Virginia Tech on March 18, 2008. Photo by Tarish Smith. -- Original Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarish/2342818995/
Hokies and Yankees shake hands after game on March 18, 2008. Photo by Tarish Smith. -- Original Source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarish/2343778443/
Final scoreboard at English field on March 18, 2008. -- Original Source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarish/2344605982/
Yankee pitcher Jose Veras with Lane Stadium in the background. Photo By Tarish Smith. -- Original source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarish/2344599776/