Virginia Tech Shootings: An Alumnae's Point-Of-View

As a Virginia Tech Alumnus, I am shocked and deeply saddened about the events unfolding this morning, April 16, 2007, at my beloved Alma Mater. A gunman, most likely a student, has killed at least twenty-two fellow Hokies, including himself. Living in New York, I do not often hear about my school, and I am certainly dismayed that this is the story that I get to see today. Things like this just do not happen in Blacksburg. It's a small, close-knit town that I lived in for five years...my first year on the fifth floor of West Ambler-Johnston, the dorm where the first shootings took place this morning. I cannot imagine the horror that parents, family and friends are experiencing right now, seeing images of wounded being taken away and the line of ambulances lined up waiting to take away the bodies of those who fell. This is not the Virginia Tech that I attended. This is a nightmare.

As a high school senior, I had never been to visit the campus, but I accepted the offer to enroll there because my best friend, Jennifer, had also been accepted and we were going to be roommates. As soon as I set foot on the campus for orientation, I fell in love. I felt instantly at home. The people both on campus and in the town of Blacksburg were friendly and almost everyone that you would pass on the sidewalks would look you in the eye, smile and say "Hello." There were many nights when I would walk home, both on campus and off, and didn't give it a second thought because there was never a reason to fear for my safety.

The campus and local police were always a presence, but were fair and understood that it was a college town. They were more likely to give warnings for things like noise violations and obnoxious behavior. Lord knows that they visited my apartment building more than once during the summer months and no one ever got in trouble.

This is the Virginia Tech that I am struggling to remember today. I want to remember the Virginia Tech that felt like a big family that welcomes you with open arms, and not the site of the worst college campus shooting in history.

My heart goes out to the victims and their families, to the students and faculty left to pick up the pieces. The school that I cried for when I had to move away from it is now the school that I cry for as it begins the long road to recovery from this tragedy.