Proud to be a Hokie

[hellbender]

The tragic events of Monday have effected my family in a very personal way. Thankfully my daughter had no Monday classes and stayed hunkered down in her apartment off-campus during the mayhem. I will be proud to see her graduate summa-cum-laude from the Virginia Tech, Pamplin School of Business on May 12. Just like her old man, she has immensely enjoyed her time at Virginia Tech. She spent her freshman year in the very dormitory where the first shootings took place. As a civil engineer, I spent most of my class time in Norris Hall. I can easily visualize the classrooms on the second floor. My daughter's circle of friends at Tech included several students who attended the same high school as the perpetrator. It is quite erie (and disconcerting) to see the random connections that exist between my family's experiences and this historic and heinous occurrence. Several of my daughters friends will be interviewed on WTTG Channel 5 at 5:00 pm. today, viewable in the DC area. Another will appear on ABC Worldnews Tonight at 6:30 or thereabouts.

I am greatly impressed (but not surprised) to see how well the Virginia Tech community has handled itself throughout this incredible event. Virginia Tech is a great school and a class act.

Even though only tangentially effected, the pain is still difficult to bear. I can only imagine what it must be like for the parents who lost their children to the acts of this madman.

[wabmester]

As a parent myself, I share some of your pain. It's sad to see the power the insane can wield in our lives.

[Dawg52]

A very sad time for all in this country. My prayers are with the victims families.

I'm afraid VT will be known by most as the college where the worst massacre occurred on campus. Not something that a University wants to be identified with. The news media is trying very hard to find fault with the University. I'm not sure there is much if anything that could have been done to prevent it, but I'm afraid many lawsuits are in VT's future.

[dumpster56]

It could have happened at any american college. I believe it is time to stop using the balloons and teddy bears and get mad as HE!!. We should demand that we rebuild the mental institutions and put these sick sobs there.

This animal was walking around the campus and was identified by many as having mental problems. Sorry but he never should have been walking on campus.

[FinallyRetired]

I'm very sorry, it's hard to undersand and bear this kind of insanity. We visited VT with our daughter many years ago when she was considering going there. Although she went elsewhere, we were very impressed with the campus, the area, and the quality of education. This incident may have happened at VT but it has nothing to do with VT, it could have happened anywhere. So I hope you don't think this will follow VT. I myself attended the University of Texas a couple of years before another nut case by the name of Charles Whitman climbed the tower with a rifle and began shooting students. It was very hard to think that happened at the school I attended, but today it's just a distant memory that has nothing to do with UT other than that's where the nut happened to be at the time.

During this period of mourning we are all VT alumni. My prayers are also with the families.

[becca]

My son will also be graduating on May 12, Magna Cum Laude from the Virginia Tech Pamplin School of Business. He too did not have Monday classes and was safely in his apartment during the horror. Thankfully he called us early on so we knew he was safe. He came home today, and is an emotional wreck. He has loved Virginia Tech every minute of the four years he has been there and tells me he feels like everyone of the victims were members of his immediate family. As a mother it breaks my heart to see my son in such emotional pain, but I know this pales in comparison to what the families of the victims are feeling.

I have been extremely impressed with the way Virginia Tech has handled things throughout this ordeal - from President Steger down to every student I have seen interviewed on television. Although VT will always be remembered as the setting of this horrible event, the world has gotten to see what a wonderful, caring community it is.

I am not a Hokie myself, but I'm proud to be the parent of a Hokie.

God Bless all Hokies.

[kaudrey]

My hearts go out to you and all of the families and students affected by this awful tragedy. I hope the Va Tech community can find strength and solace in each other and the prayers and well-wishes of the rest of us.

Karen

[samclem]

I hope all Hokies and Hokie families know that the nation is behind them in this time of great sorrow. I was glad to see that, in general, the students are standing behind Steger and are not looking for someone to blame other than the madman who did this.

As part of my daughter's college search we have visited several Ohio colleges, including Kent State University. It is a very nice campus with many great programs, but unfortunately the university's name is forever linked to a single tragic day. VT will now face the same challenge, but I don't think this day will haunt VT to the same extent Kent State has been "tagged."

Again, our sympathies go out to all Hokies. The school and students are a class act.