All three campuses came together in solidarity with the victims of the worst school shooting in American history, offering their condolences to those affected by the Virginia Tech tragedy in a series of vigils where students, staff and others commemorated the victims with speeches and silence.
Susan Addario, U of T’s director of Student Affairs, called on sympathizers to reflect on the horror of panicked families seeking to reach loved ones who laid trapped inside Virginia Tech’s Norris Hall, one of the school’s engineering buildings.
“Cell phones in the pockets of dead students were ringing as the police officers entered the building to remove their bodies,” she said. Addario remarked that U of T is not so different from Virginia Tech. “What we can offer is our comradeship and a sense for hope,” she concluded. “We are aware of their tragedy and they are in our thoughts.”
Diana Alli of the Faculty of Medicine drew comparisons to the horror of the 1986 Montreal Massacre, when 14 women were murdered at the École Polytechnique in December of that year.
“Witnessing that this happens in an academic community is deeply etched on our hearts and minds. Witnessing great potential cut short is nothing short of tragic.”
The St. George campus vigil was planned by Saswati Deb, a third-year student. It took place on April 26 at the new Multifaith Centre inside the Koffler Institute. A similar event took place at UTM earlier in the day, and UTSC offered its respects on April 30. The condolence books from the three vigils will be put together, Deb said, and sent to Virginia Tech for the one-month commemoration of the massacre.
Walied Khogali, president of the UTM Students’ Union, was the evening’s final speaker. “In the past couple of weeks we’ve all identified with Virginia Tech,” he told the fifty-strong crowd. “This act was neither provoked nor deserved. We must act with kindness and sincerity.” “We will prevail,” Khogali asserted, as he conducted the assembly into a chant of “we are Virginia Tech.” Candles were distributed, and Deb led a rendition of “Amazing Grace.” The students, staff and professors in attendance then observed a minute of silence.
