Students reflect on shootings at memorial

BLACKSBURG, Va. — The emerald quads of Virginia Tech stood empty. The swimming pool at McComas Hall was still, the basketball courts silent. Signs were taped on buildings across campus: "CLOSED DUE TO TRAGEDY."

But the 10,000-seat Cassell Coliseum was jampacked midday Tuesday with mourners, young ones wearing spirited garb unusual for a memorial: orange and maroon T-shirts, school colors in honor of their lost fellow students. Citing the Biblical Job and his struggle to understand suffering, Gov. Tim Kaine told the crowd, which included President and Mrs. Bush and other national and local dignitaries, that violence-weary people around the world are watching Blacksburg.

"As you wrestle with despair, do not lose hold of that spirit of community you have," he said.

Less than an hour later, after the tears and citations of Scripture, the spirit people here call Hokie Nation surfaced in an unexpected and moving fashion after remarks by Nikki Giovanni, the firebrand poet and English professor at Tech who taught in the department in which shooter Cho Seung-hui had his major.

The crowd was mostly reflective until Giovanni took up the refrain, arms outstretched: "We are Virginia Tech, we will prevail, we will prevail, we will prevail!" The crowd was on its feet cheering "Let's go Hokies" as if the hated Cavaliers of rival University of Virginia were taking the court.

At the convocation, the crowd gave a defiant show of support for embattled Tech President Charles Steger, who has taken hits for failing to sound a quick alert after the initial shootings.

As Steger was introduced, the students applauded respectfully, and then rose to give a standing ovation. "Y'all are going to make this difficult," said Steger, who choked up briefly before making his remarks.

With national media and state police descending on the campus, classes cancelled until Monday and worried parents — including some who arrived unannounced — in town, the most common scene Tuesday morning was of suitcases rolling along paths normally crowded with thousands of students going to and from class. Many students were leaving town.

But resources poured into Blacksburg. Religious denominations sent counselors from across the country who specialize in major tragedies. The university opened counseling centers for students and staff. Students at the Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship house put out a makeshift sign: "Prayer and counseling."

Many said they were focused on one thing: the list.

"I'm just waiting, waiting" to see the remainder of names of the dead and wounded, said Steve Hardy, facility manager at the McComas Hall gymnasium, where the usual 2,000 students working out per day was down to about 12 at midday. "This is a tightknit community, and whether you know someone or if it's just someone you see walking around, you don't want to see their face flash on TV."

At nightfall, thousands of people held candles in a vigil on the campus drill field, where cadets often drill in early morning and students play Frisbee in the afternoon. The event resembled a cocktail party as people held candles set in cups. Some people talked and laughed, others sobbed and still others held bunches of flowers and American flags.