For Northern Illinois, a Show of Support
• Richard Herman, chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has offered sympathy and assistance to those at Northern Illinois University. The shooter, Steve Kazmierczak, was a graduate student at the Urbana-Champaign campus School of Social Work.
“The entire University of Illinois family extends its deepest condolences to the friends and family of the victims, and to everyone on the Northern Illinois University campus affected by this tragedy,” wrote the chancellor.
A blog and list of resources have also been published for the Illinois student body.
• Illinois’s student newspaper, the Daily Illini, has also extended its support and compiled reaction from campus leaders. “To a degree, college students everywhere share a special bond,” writes the editorial board. “Today, we want the NIU community to know that bond it shares with the Illini nation—and with students across the nation—grows stronger in the face of adversity.”
• Students at Northwestern University also had close ties to the shaken campus.
"Ninety percent of my friends go to NIU," said one student. "It's pretty scary, because I don't know who any of the people (in the shooting) are, and I probably know at least their names."
• The Western Courier, out of Western Illinois University, sends out similar sentiments:
For the second time in our tenure as student journalists, we have the unfortunate duty of reporting a campus shooting. Sadly, this incident is closer to home. We at the WC wish we could offer answers as to why yet another campus was shocked and saddened as innocent students were injured and killed while attending class. The only certainty we can provide is a harsh truth—incidents like these, no matter how tragic and infuriating, cannot be prevented.
• Virginia Tech President Charles Steger wrote an open letter to NIU:
Our university community was bolstered and comforted by the outpouring of support from campuses around the nation and the world.
I am sure that expressions of support from the Virginia Tech community will mean much to that now suffering campus community.
We should take this opportunity now to reach out and help each other. I am convinced that our university community coped because of our care and concern for every member of the extended Hokie Family. I ask you to look out for each other and seek help through university services if necessary.
• As can be expected nowadays, Facebook has facilitated an outpouring of support from all over the country. Thousands of members have joined dozens of groups like “Pray for Northern Illinois University Students and Families,” “Tribute to Northern Illinois Victims,” and “God Bless Northern Illinois University.” Messages and photos in the most prolific of those groups number in the thousands.
• Meanwhile, schools are once again looking inward, evaluating their own mental health and security systems and reminding students that help is available. And they are asking a question that everyone has asked too many times: Could it happen here?
Tags: University of Illinois | Virginia Tech | Western Illinois University | Northwestern University | Northern Illinois University
Tools: 
Share
|
| Comments (10)
Reader Comments
BE SAFE!!!!
WOW......... my daugter is in her 2nd year there and LOVE'S the school. What a shock this has been to us all, Stef was in the parking lot at the time of the shooting. had a 3:15 class in the same class room. I feel soooo blessed, yet SOOOO sad for all those involved. I have tears in my heart forverer!!! It's so sad ,that we can't Trust our children will be safe any where.
Debbie B.
Prayers
Reach out to one another. Lean on each other. And remember the world beyond your campus is prarying for all of you.
Prayers
I am sad and heartbroken over this. Please know my thoughts and prayers are with you all. I pray our Lord gives you comfort and stength and that he watches over you and protects you. We live in a troubled world and know is the time to turn your lives over to Jesus for he is the only way to protect you from this falling world and provide you with everlasting life. A life with no pain or sadness. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you, may the lord bless you and keep you.
campus shootings
I am a mother of two Auburn University students. At the memorial service for the students killed at Virginia Teach the speaker reminded all of us that the different campuses across the nation are brothers and sister and when one is hurt we all are. It is my sincereest prayer that the student body, faculty, and admisistration at your university will be surrounded with God's love and comfort in the coming days and may He bring you peace.
War Eagle
We are sorry your children died way before their time. May God grant them peace.
May God grant our leaders the courage and honesty to do what needs to be done to stop this killing of our youth. Take away the guns that you have put into the hands of the killers in our nation. Our children need to be safe....they have become target practice.
This should not happen again to another student in our country. Never again, not again. Stop the bullets please.
Deepest sympathy
Our deepesrt thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the victims and the students at NIU. We can only imagine the horror this must be, for we ourselves have a freshman college student at SIU. Being from Rockton our Daughter has many friends that go to NIU. When are these sensless killing stop happening. These kids go to college to better theirselves and end up be emotionally scarred. We will continue to pray that god will give strength and courage to those in need. As Brooks and Dunn sing in there song. " God must be busy"
Sincerely,
mental illness
Tragedy/crime is caused by debilitating chemical inbalances. The side effects of meds for this condition, constant nausea, dizziness, inability to function, are intolerable as this parent can confirm. Then the medical community hospitalizes/locks up people ravaged by their prescription drugs which don't help; this is their solution? God help those who can help, that these children did not die in vain. Mental illness is a physical reality!
Prayers
My prayers go out to everyone at NIU! I pray for the families of the victims that got killed and hurt. May Jesus bless the families that do not have there children anymore. We should love each other as Jesus did for us to died for our sins. My goal is to transfer to NIU and run Cross Country and Track. God Bless the students at NIU, faculty, family, friends and all your people. Please watch over the 5 people that loss there lifes. Pray for peace for our schools.
Sincerely,
David Z.
His life...
As I walked along the sometimes bumpy road of life, suddenly I ran smack into the blunt wall of adversity. With heavy heart, and tear stained face I had no where to go. Ready for a change and a new life I turned around and bumped into the Lord Jesus. He said, "My child, I have been with you all along, waiting for you to love me and to love your neighbor as you do yourself." It was then I humbly realized that up till this time of severe heartache I had missed out on a life of unconditional love, joy and peace as only God can provide. Why wait, dear friends, we may come to God no matter our condition, no matter what we've done and He will accept us just as I am. But then, thanks to the Great Physician, we can receive healing and become the person we are meant to be.
Add your thoughts
Your comment will be posted immediately, unless it is spam or contains profanity. For more information, please see our comment guidelines.advertisement
Our Love and Prayers go out to all of these families.
Feb 15, 2008 19:47:18 PM [permalink] [report comment]