Hundreds attend candlelight vigil to mourn tragedy at Virginia Tech

Hundreds of members of the Union community offer their prayers.

Close

Enlarge Hundreds of members of the Union community offer their prayers.

Hundreds of members of the Union community participated in a candlelight vigil outside the Nott Memorial Tuesday to offer prayers and support to the community at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where 33 people were killed in the worst shooting rampage in modern U.S. history.

The vigil was coordinated by Student Forum and Viki Brooks-McDonald, the College’s interfaith chaplain.

Todd Clark, director of Residential Life, attends with his son, Owen.

Close

Enlarge Todd Clark, director of Residential Life, attends with his son, Owen.

Students and staff offered prayers and other words of support for those killed Monday at the Blacksburg, Va. campus. Among those who spoke was Todd Clark, Union's Director of Residential Life and 1995 graduate of Virginia Tech.

Members of the Union community also are responding to the tragedy in other ways. Orange and maroon ribbons are being distributed at the Reamer Campus Center, and Brooks-McDonald is encouraging the college community to send cards and letters to the Blacksburg, Va. school as a way of “communicating our care campus to campus.”

Students are shown at the candelight vigil for Virginia Tech.

Close

Enlarge Students are shown at the candelight vigil for Virginia Tech.

"As part of the undergraduate student culture in America, many Union students were strongly impacted by the tragedy that occurred at Virginia Tech," said Brian Gulack, president of student forum. "Although many miles away, the killing of fellow students hit many members of our community very powerfully. As part of a small community, it is very easy for us to band together to help show our support to fellow students at other institutions."