A story on archiving all the tributes that were sent...
Photo archives referenced in previous story...
Monday, August 20, 2007
April 16 Memorial Dedication Ceremony
An April 16th memorial was dedicated at Virginia Tech this past weekend. I've attached a link to their website, as well as a link to the stories in the New York Times and Washington Post. I'm not sure if there are other local papers with stories, but I figured I'd just start with this.
And here is a brief description of the memorial and ceremony from The Chronicle of Higher Education (08/20/07):
And here is a brief description of the memorial and ceremony from The Chronicle of Higher Education (08/20/07):
Four months after last April's tragic shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, the university solemnly dedicated a memorial on Sunday to honor the students and professors who were killed.
More than 10,000 people gathered on the Drillfield before the new memorial, a semicircle of 32 stones, one for each of the victims. Each of the 300-pound stones -- of the same gray limestone used for many of the buildings on the Blacksburg, Va., campus -- has the name of a student or professor engraved on it.
"We have etched their names into the foundation of this great university," said Zenobia L. Hikes, vice president of student affairs, the ceremony's opening speaker.
The individual stones surround a larger central stone that honors people who were wounded in the shootings as well as the slain. In the stone are carved seven words: "We Will Prevail. We Are Virginia Tech." A Virgina Tech professor and poet, Nikki Giovanni, uttered those words at the close of an emotional speech she gave at a convocation the day after the shootings.
The new memorial is a permanent version of a temporary shrine created by a student service group in the first 24 hours following the April 16 tragedy. The group, Hokies United, placed 32 smaller stones in an arc that became a gathering spot for the grief-stricken.
The new stones are in the same place as the original ones, which were given to relatives and other representatives of those slain as part of the ceremony that ended with the tolling of a bell 32 times. Afterward, as the hymn "Amazing Grace" played in the background, family members walked toward the memorial. They were the first to get a closer look.
In remarks during the ceremony, Charles W. Steger, president of Virginia Tech, said those killed will "forever be a part of the Virginia Tech family." Mr. Steger talked of how the campus was "still deeply saddened by the collective nightmare of April 16th," but, like the speakers before him, he highlighted the actions of the campus community in the tragedy's aftermath.
"The spirit and resiliency of the Virginia Tech community have amazed the world," Mr. Steger said.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Checks Arrived at VT!
I just got word from Shawn...our donations have arrived at Virginia Tech! See the email below...
I received the card and checks this morning. I am in awe of the work you and your colleagues did on this project. It is so very much, and everyone in our department can feel the spirit in which it was done. We could never convey in words the emotion and appreciation that we feel from your generosity and support. We will keep you posted regarding our use of the funds you have sent, and will keep in touch throughout the year. Again, thank you so very much, and God Bless.
I received the card and checks this morning. I am in awe of the work you and your colleagues did on this project. It is so very much, and everyone in our department can feel the spirit in which it was done. We could never convey in words the emotion and appreciation that we feel from your generosity and support. We will keep you posted regarding our use of the funds you have sent, and will keep in touch throughout the year. Again, thank you so very much, and God Bless.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
New Emails from VT
I just received this email from James Penven, Associate Director of Residence Life...
Emily,
Shawn Shumaker just sent the Residence Life staff an email sharing the blog address that you set up related to the support of our residence life department.
I wanted to send a brief note of thanks to you and all of the folks who came together to support our staff, students, and university in the wake of April 16. We are so appreciative of everything you did. It meant so much to our department to know that our colleagues across the nation had us in their hearts and prayers.
Thank you,
Jamie
...as well as another note from Shawn Shumaker...
Emily,
I forwarded the message you sent to me with the link for the blogspot to all our staff and also to Gail. Again, words cannot tell you how much we appreciate all that you guys have done. It helps just knowing that there are people out there that are thinking of us. Please continue to remember us as we enter the next phase – recovery- with the new student body arriving in just a few weeks, not to mention several new staff members. We have a new director here in Residence Life, Dr. Leon McClinton who comes to us from Clemson. He officially begins tomorrow, but was here for a few days last week. I’m sure you’ll be hearing from him in the near future. Thank you, and God Bless.
Shawn
Emily,
Shawn Shumaker just sent the Residence Life staff an email sharing the blog address that you set up related to the support of our residence life department.
I wanted to send a brief note of thanks to you and all of the folks who came together to support our staff, students, and university in the wake of April 16. We are so appreciative of everything you did. It meant so much to our department to know that our colleagues across the nation had us in their hearts and prayers.
Thank you,
Jamie
...as well as another note from Shawn Shumaker...
Emily,
I forwarded the message you sent to me with the link for the blogspot to all our staff and also to Gail. Again, words cannot tell you how much we appreciate all that you guys have done. It helps just knowing that there are people out there that are thinking of us. Please continue to remember us as we enter the next phase – recovery- with the new student body arriving in just a few weeks, not to mention several new staff members. We have a new director here in Residence Life, Dr. Leon McClinton who comes to us from Clemson. He officially begins tomorrow, but was here for a few days last week. I’m sure you’ll be hearing from him in the near future. Thank you, and God Bless.
Shawn
Monday, July 23, 2007
Wrapping Up VT Prosim
Generous VT Prosim Supporters -
I just wanted to let you know that $4525 has been mailed to the Virginia Tech Residence Life Office! Hooray for your generosity and support of this project!
Official breakdowns go as follows:
Donations totalled $6540 dollars...expenses were $2015...so the rest ($4525) goes to VT. About 250 different people and groups/organizations donated.
The most frequent donations were in the $10-$25 range...about 70% of donors gave at this level. In fact, donations at this level contributed to over half of the total money we raised! So very many of you sent emails or notes that said, "Here's $10...it's all I can do right now." I hope you all know that "all you could do" was absolutely perfect...every little bit made an incredible difference to this project. So let's hear it to everyone who gave what they could...it really, really made a difference!
Thanks to those of you who gave in larger amounts...over 20 people gave in the $50-$75 range. And a few individuals even gave $100.
Thank you, as well, to the staffs, campuses, organizations and businesses that raised money on our behalf. Group donations ranged from $50-$316...and all of it was greatly appreciated!
With this blog posting, we are officially wrapping up our VT Prosim project. Miriam and I will no longer be able to accept donations. Just in case you run into anyone who would like to give more to Virginia Tech or the Residence Life department, please direct them to this VT Website.
One last thing...I talked to Shawn Shumaker today (as you remember, she has been our connection to VT Residence Life this whole time)...Shawn told me that as the donated funds are used by the residence life office, she will let me know. As this happens, I will post on the blog so you know what good has come from all of your donations. So you may want to check the blog from time to time... :)
Thanks again for your heart-warming (and OVERWHELMING) support of this project. Miriam and I have had many tearful conversations about how we never imagined that a couple of emails would have garnered this much support. You are amazing people, and we treasure the extent to which you embraced this project!
With all my gratitude,
Emily
I just wanted to let you know that $4525 has been mailed to the Virginia Tech Residence Life Office! Hooray for your generosity and support of this project!
Official breakdowns go as follows:
Donations totalled $6540 dollars...expenses were $2015...so the rest ($4525) goes to VT. About 250 different people and groups/organizations donated.
The most frequent donations were in the $10-$25 range...about 70% of donors gave at this level. In fact, donations at this level contributed to over half of the total money we raised! So very many of you sent emails or notes that said, "Here's $10...it's all I can do right now." I hope you all know that "all you could do" was absolutely perfect...every little bit made an incredible difference to this project. So let's hear it to everyone who gave what they could...it really, really made a difference!
Thanks to those of you who gave in larger amounts...over 20 people gave in the $50-$75 range. And a few individuals even gave $100.
Thank you, as well, to the staffs, campuses, organizations and businesses that raised money on our behalf. Group donations ranged from $50-$316...and all of it was greatly appreciated!
With this blog posting, we are officially wrapping up our VT Prosim project. Miriam and I will no longer be able to accept donations. Just in case you run into anyone who would like to give more to Virginia Tech or the Residence Life department, please direct them to this VT Website.
One last thing...I talked to Shawn Shumaker today (as you remember, she has been our connection to VT Residence Life this whole time)...Shawn told me that as the donated funds are used by the residence life office, she will let me know. As this happens, I will post on the blog so you know what good has come from all of your donations. So you may want to check the blog from time to time... :)
Thanks again for your heart-warming (and OVERWHELMING) support of this project. Miriam and I have had many tearful conversations about how we never imagined that a couple of emails would have garnered this much support. You are amazing people, and we treasure the extent to which you embraced this project!
With all my gratitude,
Emily
Photos from Staff Support Room
Email from Gail Kirby...
Here is the text of an email from Gail Kirby that I received about a week ago...
Emily and Miriam-
Greetings from Virginia Tech! As you have surely discovered by now, I'm not much of a correspondent. However, that does not mean I've forgotten you! I've been working on some filing and archiving and am constantly reminded of your thoughtfulness, generosity and support when we badly needed it. Should I ever have the opportunity to meet you personally, I plan to hug your necks! Weeks ago I promised Emily some photos of the Ut Prosim project, and they are attached. You can't really get a complete sense of the "greenhouse effect" that we had on the day that the peace lilies arrived! Visitors to the office were speechless and overwhelmed by the support. The other photos are of the room that we set up to dispense your care packages, cards and letters sent to the staff and students, and to display all of the expressions of sympathy and support received from colleagues around the nation. I hope that you can use these few pics on the blog and feel free to paraphrase or quote me. Your efforts have been greatly appreciated by all of us.
Recovery in the Hokie Nation is well underway, and the strength and resolve of our continuing and new Hokies is pretty amazing. New student orientation started last week and the pride that our new students and families exhibit is a little unexpected and very welcomed. We continue to mourn the loss of students and faculty, and are doing everything possible to continue with all support and involvement possible with their families. We are looking forward to the start of the new school year with a return to the "new normal," and please keep us all in your thoughts and prayers.
As of this writing, I have retired from the university as I'd planned since last summer. The new director of Residence Life is Dr. Leon McClinton and I'm sure he will welcome future contact, as will your friend and mine, Shawn Shumaker. I will always remember your thoughtfulness-
Warm regards,
Gail Kirby
(Past) Interim Director of Residence Life
See the next 2 posts for the aforementioned photos...
Emily and Miriam-
Greetings from Virginia Tech! As you have surely discovered by now, I'm not much of a correspondent. However, that does not mean I've forgotten you! I've been working on some filing and archiving and am constantly reminded of your thoughtfulness, generosity and support when we badly needed it. Should I ever have the opportunity to meet you personally, I plan to hug your necks! Weeks ago I promised Emily some photos of the Ut Prosim project, and they are attached. You can't really get a complete sense of the "greenhouse effect" that we had on the day that the peace lilies arrived! Visitors to the office were speechless and overwhelmed by the support. The other photos are of the room that we set up to dispense your care packages, cards and letters sent to the staff and students, and to display all of the expressions of sympathy and support received from colleagues around the nation. I hope that you can use these few pics on the blog and feel free to paraphrase or quote me. Your efforts have been greatly appreciated by all of us.
Recovery in the Hokie Nation is well underway, and the strength and resolve of our continuing and new Hokies is pretty amazing. New student orientation started last week and the pride that our new students and families exhibit is a little unexpected and very welcomed. We continue to mourn the loss of students and faculty, and are doing everything possible to continue with all support and involvement possible with their families. We are looking forward to the start of the new school year with a return to the "new normal," and please keep us all in your thoughts and prayers.
As of this writing, I have retired from the university as I'd planned since last summer. The new director of Residence Life is Dr. Leon McClinton and I'm sure he will welcome future contact, as will your friend and mine, Shawn Shumaker. I will always remember your thoughtfulness-
Warm regards,
Gail Kirby
(Past) Interim Director of Residence Life
See the next 2 posts for the aforementioned photos...
VT Prosim Updates
Friends -
My apologies for being out of touch for awhile. Life has been, as I'm sure is true for all of you, pretty busy and hectic lately. I've recently been in touch with our friends at VT and wanted to post some correspondence and photos.
First of all...a card from VT that I received in mid July...
My apologies for being out of touch for awhile. Life has been, as I'm sure is true for all of you, pretty busy and hectic lately. I've recently been in touch with our friends at VT and wanted to post some correspondence and photos.
First of all...a card from VT that I received in mid July...
More photos to follow in the next post...
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Teaching After April 16th Wiki
For you to read, learn from...and perhaps contribute to as an institution or department...
Teaching After April 16th
Teaching After April 16th
Packages and Plants have arrived!
An email from Shawn Shumaker this afternoon...
[Everything has arrived.] The peace lilies are beautiful!!! The boxes arrived yesterday, and we are setting up one of our conference rooms with all the things that have come in for the student staff for next Mon and Tues. We are going to take pictures of it and staff as they come in and get their things, so I will be sending pics of all when we have them. Thank you all again, I can’t begin to tell you how much all this means to our staff – they work hard all the time, but this has been especially trying for them, and they get very little acknowledgement from the “outside” world. Be sure and thank the helpers that were involved in this also. God Bless & Keep You
When the photos arrive, I promise I'll post them right away!
[Everything has arrived.] The peace lilies are beautiful!!! The boxes arrived yesterday, and we are setting up one of our conference rooms with all the things that have come in for the student staff for next Mon and Tues. We are going to take pictures of it and staff as they come in and get their things, so I will be sending pics of all when we have them. Thank you all again, I can’t begin to tell you how much all this means to our staff – they work hard all the time, but this has been especially trying for them, and they get very little acknowledgement from the “outside” world. Be sure and thank the helpers that were involved in this also. God Bless & Keep You
When the photos arrive, I promise I'll post them right away!
Monday, April 23, 2007
The Care Package Document
Here is the link to the document that went in the boxes with the care packages. This was up-to-date as of Sunday night. A few new donors have already come in today...and we're sure a few more will come in throughout the next week or so. We'll do our best to add to the list, so all of our generous donors receive the acknowledgment they deserve.
Just in case you were wondering...
I just got back from FedEx (had to pick up the final shipping receipts)...we shipped about 322 pounds of stuff! So let's give another round of applause to FedEx for the free shipping! Woo hoo!
In Transit
The care packages were delivered to FedEx this morning at 9:30am. They will be shipped overnight and should arrive at Virginia Tech's Residence Life office some time Tuesday, April 24th. There were 25 boxes total, and each box contained a document with a short note, a list of the the notes and quotes sent by the donors, and a list of all of the donors. I'm trying to post a pdf of this document, but haven't figured out how to do that yet. Once I figure it out, I'll let you know.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Care Package Contents
Just in case you were wondering, each care package contained:
1 little box of cereal
1 bag of microwave popcorn
1 packet of oatmeal
1 granola bar
1 fruit snack
1 package of Pringles
1 package of cheese and crackers
1 packet of tissues
1 package of trail mix
1 Sharpie marker
1 stack of Post-It notes
1 medium size Tootsie Roll
1 lolly pop
1 piece of Dubble Bubble
5 little pieces of candy/gum/small lollies
1 packet of instant ice tea
and...in place of the bouncey balls (which smelled really bad, so we returned them)
2 fun stickers, 2 temporary tattoos, and 1 cheesy magic trick!
A special thanks to Mr. Joe Allen for figuring out how to arrange these things so they all fit perfectly in the bag. Joe's an architect, so he's really good with spatial relations!
1 little box of cereal
1 bag of microwave popcorn
1 packet of oatmeal
1 granola bar
1 fruit snack
1 package of Pringles
1 package of cheese and crackers
1 packet of tissues
1 package of trail mix
1 Sharpie marker
1 stack of Post-It notes
1 medium size Tootsie Roll
1 lolly pop
1 piece of Dubble Bubble
5 little pieces of candy/gum/small lollies
1 packet of instant ice tea
and...in place of the bouncey balls (which smelled really bad, so we returned them)
2 fun stickers, 2 temporary tattoos, and 1 cheesy magic trick!
A special thanks to Mr. Joe Allen for figuring out how to arrange these things so they all fit perfectly in the bag. Joe's an architect, so he's really good with spatial relations!
Care Packages Assembled!
YAY! All of the care packages have been filled, tied with ribbon, and sorted into boxes by hall. What a great day it was! Thanks to Bri, Joe A., Maggie, DJ, Sarah, Heather, Raedeen, Joan, Joe S., Jay B., my better half, and of course, Miriam. It's been a long day, so I'm just going to let the photos speak for themselves...
Friday Night at Sam's Club
Our two favorite questions of the evening, as we strolled through Sam's Club with 3 carts overflowing with little boxes of cereal, Pringles, trail mix and bubble gum:1) Stocking up the concession stands? and
2) Do you run a day care?
In fact, a couple ladies--who we must have run into in the store
about 3 times--tracked us down in the parking lot and said "We just have to ask...what is all this for?" So we told them...and they were delighted. :)And a big shout out to all of you who mailed your checks right away...thanks to your expeditiousness, we were able to pay for all the care package goodies with that money and not have to do the charge/reimburse thing. So, THANK YOU! That made the night even better!
My favorite purchase of the evening...300 bouncey balls! I told my better half that I wanted to dump them all down the stairwell and watch them go crazy. He said that wasn't my best idea. Oh well...they can't all be winners.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Nationwide Campus Responses
In addition to sending campus logos, some of you have forwarded information about how your campus is honoring Virginia Tech. For example, here is a screenshot of St. Louis University's homepage from today:
To read more about the services at SLU, visit their website and check for various additional links.
The University of Virginia also had a tribute page...
I'm sure there are many more...if you see pages such as these, please send them our way. We'll set up links for homepages, articles...whatever else you find.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Let's Get Packing!
Sorry that it's taken me this long to get the plans for assembling the care packages out to you. Whew - there's a lot going on around here!
Friday night, Miriam and I will head to Sam's Club and Target to amass goodies for the care packages. We will strive to be generous, yet fiscally responsible. :) We're going to keep the shopping crew small because, well, you know how it is at Sam's Club..."Oooh, 20 gallons of mayonnaise...let's get that! Oooh, frozen mini quiches...we need those!"
Saturday afternoon at 3:00pm, the packing will begin! We plan on doing the work in the cozy Ronning MacBride apartment in St. Paul, MN. If you plan on joining us, please email me and let me know that you'll be coming over...I'll give you directions. Our humble abode isn't real big, so if you're claustrophobic, this might not be your cup of tea. We've already had quite a few local folks volunteer, so for those of you who live 2-3 hours away (or more), don't worry about making the trek...we'll be just fine...and you'll all be with us in spirit. Of course, if you want to come, then come...I'm not stoppin' ya...I'm just saying that we're doing great in regard to number of volunteers. :)
Friday night, Miriam and I will head to Sam's Club and Target to amass goodies for the care packages. We will strive to be generous, yet fiscally responsible. :) We're going to keep the shopping crew small because, well, you know how it is at Sam's Club..."Oooh, 20 gallons of mayonnaise...let's get that! Oooh, frozen mini quiches...we need those!"
Saturday afternoon at 3:00pm, the packing will begin! We plan on doing the work in the cozy Ronning MacBride apartment in St. Paul, MN. If you plan on joining us, please email me and let me know that you'll be coming over...I'll give you directions. Our humble abode isn't real big, so if you're claustrophobic, this might not be your cup of tea. We've already had quite a few local folks volunteer, so for those of you who live 2-3 hours away (or more), don't worry about making the trek...we'll be just fine...and you'll all be with us in spirit. Of course, if you want to come, then come...I'm not stoppin' ya...I'm just saying that we're doing great in regard to number of volunteers. :)
Campus Logos: Part 1
As I've been on Facebook, I've seen some wonderful images combining a campus logo with that of VT. I'm posting a couple here. If you have more that you'd like to share, please send them to mailto:prosium@comcast.netmcast.net.
Gratitude: Part 2
Just a few more kind souls to mention...
Ms. Angela Schoettle of First National Bank of River Falls/Prescott in River Falls, WI
Ms. Schoettle set up an account for us and has waived all current and future fees. This allows us to deposit and withdraw funds as we need...and we don't even have to worry about minimum balances or paying extra for cashier's checks. Excellent!
Mr. Jason "Madison Jay" Best of Minneapolis, MN
Mr. Best spent much of yesterday morning calling a variety of flower shops in Blacksburg, VA (and the surrounding area), trying to find us the best deal on 10" Peace Lilies. He recommended D'Rose Flowers for their excellent customer service and willingness to help us out a bit. The order is in and the plants will be delivered next Wednesday, April 25.
Ms. Angela Schoettle of First National Bank of River Falls/Prescott in River Falls, WI
Ms. Schoettle set up an account for us and has waived all current and future fees. This allows us to deposit and withdraw funds as we need...and we don't even have to worry about minimum balances or paying extra for cashier's checks. Excellent!
Mr. Jason "Madison Jay" Best of Minneapolis, MN
Mr. Best spent much of yesterday morning calling a variety of flower shops in Blacksburg, VA (and the surrounding area), trying to find us the best deal on 10" Peace Lilies. He recommended D'Rose Flowers for their excellent customer service and willingness to help us out a bit. The order is in and the plants will be delivered next Wednesday, April 25.
Don't Froget to Wear Your Hokie Colors!
From an e-flier I received earlier:
Virginia Tech family members across the country have united to declare this Friday, April 20th, an "Orange and Maroon Effect" day to honor those killed in the tragic events on campus Monday, and to show support for Virginia Tech students, faculty, administrators, staff, alumni, and friends. "Orange and Maroon Effect" was born several years ago as an invitation to Tech fans to wear orange and maroon to Virginia Tech athletic events. We invite everyone from all over the country to be a part of the Virginia Tech family this Friday, to wear orange and maroon to support the families of those who were lost, and to support the school and community we all love so much.
Miscellany & Levity: Part 1
Okay, so I'm sure some of you--with your hawkish eyes--have figured out that we had some "Prosim/Prosium" typos. Please let me explain:
In our haste to get the blog started, we may not have quite noticed the properr splelling of somme of teh wurds. Whoops. We're really sorry about that. We mean no disrespect to Ut Prosim...we just aren't too current with our Latin lessons. We think we've corrected all the text in the blog, though the URL and email will continue to have misspellings. Sigh.
Anyway...
Hey, so have you ever wondered what 408 packages of fruit snacks look like?
In our haste to get the blog started, we may not have quite noticed the properr splelling of somme of teh wurds. Whoops. We're really sorry about that. We mean no disrespect to Ut Prosim...we just aren't too current with our Latin lessons. We think we've corrected all the text in the blog, though the URL and email will continue to have misspellings. Sigh.
Anyway...
Hey, so have you ever wondered what 408 packages of fruit snacks look like?
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
What, Exactly, is a Hokie? and Other Things You Might Want to Know...
I'm going to go ahead and be real honest here...I don't know too much about Virginia Tech...or at least I didn't...but I'm learning. Although I consider myself a bit of a "college/university buff" (the way some people are "wine buffs" or "NASCAR enthusiasts"), I must admit that up until a couple days ago, I did not know the technical definition of a Hokie.
With all of the images we've been getting of the chaos and mourning, it's easy to forget that this is a vibrant, bustling university community...a place that students, faculty and staff love and cherish. So let's all take a minute and get to know Virginia Tech...
1) Virginia Tech was founded in 1872 as a land grant university. (I HEART LAND GRANTS!)
2) VT operates its own stone quarry, where they get all the distinctive limestone for their campus buildings. What is the stone called? Hokie Stone, of course!
3) Former Green Bay Packer, Antonio Freeman (for all you Wisconsinites), graduated from VT...so did the author Homer Hickam. Mr. Hickam wrote the book Rocket Boys, which was made into the movie October Sky. Check out all the other great alumni accomplishments...
4) VT has 6 regional campuses in the state of Virginia. These campuses provide research, outreach, graduate education and professional development. They also have 2 international campus centers...in Switzerland and the Dominican Republic.
5) Virginia Tech's school colors are Burnt Orange and Chicago Maroon.
6) The Duck Pond is a favorite campus spot. It was created in 1937.
7) The War Memorial Chapel has 8 pylons that rise up out of it. They symbolize brotherhood, honor, leadership, sacrifice, service, loyalty, duty and Ut Prosim.
8) The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets has a band called the "Highty-Tighties."
9) In the mid 1960s, students crafted their own cannon from Civil War-style plans. The cannon is called "Skipper."
10) Oh yeah, so what the heck's a Hokie? Is it a bird? A type of limestone? An agricultural or mechanical term? Yell HOORAY! and then click here.
For all this information and more, visit http://www.vt.edu/about/. Or try taking the Hokie Quiz and see how much more there is to learn!
With all of the images we've been getting of the chaos and mourning, it's easy to forget that this is a vibrant, bustling university community...a place that students, faculty and staff love and cherish. So let's all take a minute and get to know Virginia Tech...
1) Virginia Tech was founded in 1872 as a land grant university. (I HEART LAND GRANTS!)
2) VT operates its own stone quarry, where they get all the distinctive limestone for their campus buildings. What is the stone called? Hokie Stone, of course!
3) Former Green Bay Packer, Antonio Freeman (for all you Wisconsinites), graduated from VT...so did the author Homer Hickam. Mr. Hickam wrote the book Rocket Boys, which was made into the movie October Sky. Check out all the other great alumni accomplishments...
4) VT has 6 regional campuses in the state of Virginia. These campuses provide research, outreach, graduate education and professional development. They also have 2 international campus centers...in Switzerland and the Dominican Republic.
5) Virginia Tech's school colors are Burnt Orange and Chicago Maroon.
6) The Duck Pond is a favorite campus spot. It was created in 1937.
7) The War Memorial Chapel has 8 pylons that rise up out of it. They symbolize brotherhood, honor, leadership, sacrifice, service, loyalty, duty and Ut Prosim.
8) The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets has a band called the "Highty-Tighties."
9) In the mid 1960s, students crafted their own cannon from Civil War-style plans. The cannon is called "Skipper."
10) Oh yeah, so what the heck's a Hokie? Is it a bird? A type of limestone? An agricultural or mechanical term? Yell HOORAY! and then click here.
For all this information and more, visit http://www.vt.edu/about/. Or try taking the Hokie Quiz and see how much more there is to learn!
Gratitude: Part 1
Not only are we receiving a substantial amount of financial support, we are also fortuante enough to have found some kind souls in the business community to help provide donations and services to bolster our efforts. Today's special thank you's go out to:
Mr. Pat Allen of the Jim Allen Packaging Co. in Chanute, KS
Mr. Allen sent us 300 bags and about 500 yards of curling ribbon for the care packages! He also included larger bags so we can cluster the care packages by hall...for easy distribution once the packages reach VT.
Ms. Linda Wandt of General Mills in Minneapolis, MN
Ms. Wandt helped secure donations of granola bars, fruit snacks and microwave popcorn for the care packages. Let's hear it for Fruit-by-the-Foot!
Ms. Lisa Daniel of FedEx in Memphis, TN
Ms. Daniel confirmed that FedEx would be happy to ship our care packages from St. Paul, MN to Blacksburg, VA free-of-charge. They will even be shipped express, so they'll arrive at VT in no time!
All three of these individuals were a delight to work with...returning phone calls and emails instantly...coming through with important contributions in a matter of hours, if not minutes.
Thank you Pat, Linda and Lisa!
Mr. Pat Allen of the Jim Allen Packaging Co. in Chanute, KS
Mr. Allen sent us 300 bags and about 500 yards of curling ribbon for the care packages! He also included larger bags so we can cluster the care packages by hall...for easy distribution once the packages reach VT.
Ms. Linda Wandt of General Mills in Minneapolis, MN
Ms. Wandt helped secure donations of granola bars, fruit snacks and microwave popcorn for the care packages. Let's hear it for Fruit-by-the-Foot!
Ms. Lisa Daniel of FedEx in Memphis, TN
Ms. Daniel confirmed that FedEx would be happy to ship our care packages from St. Paul, MN to Blacksburg, VA free-of-charge. They will even be shipped express, so they'll arrive at VT in no time!
All three of these individuals were a delight to work with...returning phone calls and emails instantly...coming through with important contributions in a matter of hours, if not minutes.
Thank you Pat, Linda and Lisa!
Your Contributions in Action: Part 1
We've received an incredibly generous outpouring of support thus far. It is so heartwarming to watch the donations come in! I think we're going to be able to accomplish even more than we set out to...which is a really wonderful thing.I've had conversations with many of you about what to do with the money, since it looks like we'll end up with more than we'll actually need for the care packages. The current plan seems to go something like this:
1) Care packages for the RAs and Hall Directors
2) Peace Lilies for the front desks of each of the residence halls on campus (see photo above right)
3) Monetary donation to the VT Department of Residence Life to be used for programming...or a scholarship...or whatever best meets their needs.
So there you have it! We appreciate your generosity... I think we're going to be able to do some pretty great things!
How It All Began...
This is the beginning of the original email...
Friends –
Monday was a lovely, sunny day in St. Paul, Minnesota…I wasn’t near a computer or a TV all day (thanks to a daunting statistics test and then a trip to the quilt store to steady my nerves)…you can only imagine the shock and sadness I experienced when coming home at 4:30pm to hear the stories about the horrific occurrences at Virginia Tech University. I’m sure you all experienced similar emotions…events like this seem impossible to comprehend. After I got through watching the news and reading various accounts on the internet, I felt overwhelmed…my heart was, and still is, just aching for that campus community.
Maybe it’s from all the time in student development…maybe it’s from too many higher education classes, but I found my mind racing…what is it like to be an administrator there today? To be the president? To be the campus security office? To be a faculty member? Mostly, I wondered what it was like to be a student on that campus…more specifically, what is it like to be an RA at Virginia Tech right now? Maybe it’s because my journey into the wonderful world of studying and working in academia started in residence life, but my heart really goes out to the RAs today. I know there are a ton of people struggling to make sense of this tragedy, and I know there are a ton of people striving to hold things together for the good of the entire campus…I salute all those people and wish there was something I could do for everyone…but I know that I can’t help everyone. So I guess my natural inclination is to do something for the RAs. Those students, in addition to dealing with their own grief and fear, will be spending the last few weeks of the semester helping others more than ever before. I guess I’m hoping there’s a little something that we can do to offer just a tiny bit of solace to those RAs.
I just want to help and I don’t really know what I can do…but I feel like we could do this…
Here’s the idea…trite and inconsequential as it may seem…little RA Care Packages. One for every RA and Hall Director in every residence hall at Virginia Tech. Imagine brown paper lunch sacks filled with microwave popcorn, granola bars, candy and such…tied with Hokie-colored ribbons (orange and maroon)…sent in boxes to each residence hall on the Virginia State campus.
The rest of the email has basically been broken down into other sections of the blog. We just wanted to share the rambling that got VT Prosim started...
Friends –
Monday was a lovely, sunny day in St. Paul, Minnesota…I wasn’t near a computer or a TV all day (thanks to a daunting statistics test and then a trip to the quilt store to steady my nerves)…you can only imagine the shock and sadness I experienced when coming home at 4:30pm to hear the stories about the horrific occurrences at Virginia Tech University. I’m sure you all experienced similar emotions…events like this seem impossible to comprehend. After I got through watching the news and reading various accounts on the internet, I felt overwhelmed…my heart was, and still is, just aching for that campus community.
Maybe it’s from all the time in student development…maybe it’s from too many higher education classes, but I found my mind racing…what is it like to be an administrator there today? To be the president? To be the campus security office? To be a faculty member? Mostly, I wondered what it was like to be a student on that campus…more specifically, what is it like to be an RA at Virginia Tech right now? Maybe it’s because my journey into the wonderful world of studying and working in academia started in residence life, but my heart really goes out to the RAs today. I know there are a ton of people struggling to make sense of this tragedy, and I know there are a ton of people striving to hold things together for the good of the entire campus…I salute all those people and wish there was something I could do for everyone…but I know that I can’t help everyone. So I guess my natural inclination is to do something for the RAs. Those students, in addition to dealing with their own grief and fear, will be spending the last few weeks of the semester helping others more than ever before. I guess I’m hoping there’s a little something that we can do to offer just a tiny bit of solace to those RAs.
I just want to help and I don’t really know what I can do…but I feel like we could do this…
Here’s the idea…trite and inconsequential as it may seem…little RA Care Packages. One for every RA and Hall Director in every residence hall at Virginia Tech. Imagine brown paper lunch sacks filled with microwave popcorn, granola bars, candy and such…tied with Hokie-colored ribbons (orange and maroon)…sent in boxes to each residence hall on the Virginia State campus.
The rest of the email has basically been broken down into other sections of the blog. We just wanted to share the rambling that got VT Prosim started...
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
FAQ
Q: What is the VT Prosim project?
A: VT Prosim is an grassroots effort to send care packages to resident assitants (RAs) at Virginia Tech to show support an encouragement during a very trying time.
Q: Where does the money go?
A: All funds will go toward purchase of care packages for the RAs. We're also looking into sending potted plants to the residence hall main desks. Any extra funds will go toward support of VT resident assitants.
Q: How can I help?
A: Read the "How Can I Help?" post.
Q: So why 300?
A: We contacted the VT residence life office, 300 will cover all of their staff members plus a few extra.
Q: Where does the name "VT Prosim" come from?
A: VT Prosim is a verbal contortion of VT's school motto "UT PROSIM" which in Latin means "That I May Serve". Written in the original Roman letters, "UT" would actually be written as "VT" and, well, that seems to suit our needs just fine.
Q: Is This Legit?
A: Absolutely. We want everyone helping with this effort to feel confident that the proceeds are going to exactly what we've stated--care packages for the RAs. Read our post, "Pay to the Order of..." on the main page/right column for more info.
Q: I got an email about this, was it really from you?
A: We're very concerned that this project is transparent, so that you know exactly where your money is going and for what purpose. Likewise, we don't want any of the original emails we sent to be used for dubious purposes. Not to be cyber-alarmists or anything, but in the interest of full disclosure, the original email came from Emily Ronning at the University of Minnesota and Miriam Huffman at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls--these are the only two people you should write a check to for the VT Prosim project. Also, please don't make a check out to "VT Prosim" because we won't be able to use it. Thank you! We hope this helps keep signals open and clear!
A: VT Prosim is an grassroots effort to send care packages to resident assitants (RAs) at Virginia Tech to show support an encouragement during a very trying time.
Q: Where does the money go?
A: All funds will go toward purchase of care packages for the RAs. We're also looking into sending potted plants to the residence hall main desks. Any extra funds will go toward support of VT resident assitants.
Q: How can I help?
A: Read the "How Can I Help?" post.
Q: So why 300?
A: We contacted the VT residence life office, 300 will cover all of their staff members plus a few extra.
Q: Where does the name "VT Prosim" come from?
A: VT Prosim is a verbal contortion of VT's school motto "UT PROSIM" which in Latin means "That I May Serve". Written in the original Roman letters, "UT" would actually be written as "VT" and, well, that seems to suit our needs just fine.
Q: Is This Legit?
A: Absolutely. We want everyone helping with this effort to feel confident that the proceeds are going to exactly what we've stated--care packages for the RAs. Read our post, "Pay to the Order of..." on the main page/right column for more info.
Q: I got an email about this, was it really from you?
A: We're very concerned that this project is transparent, so that you know exactly where your money is going and for what purpose. Likewise, we don't want any of the original emails we sent to be used for dubious purposes. Not to be cyber-alarmists or anything, but in the interest of full disclosure, the original email came from Emily Ronning at the University of Minnesota and Miriam Huffman at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls--these are the only two people you should write a check to for the VT Prosim project. Also, please don't make a check out to "VT Prosim" because we won't be able to use it. Thank you! We hope this helps keep signals open and clear!
"How Can I Help?"
So far we've had an incredible response to the initial email that was sent out. Here are the essentials in helping the VT Prosim Project move forward:
1. Make a Donation, Quick!
Make a cash or check donation toward purchasing and shipping the care packages to VT resident assistants--but send it fast--classes at VT end on May 4th (according to their campus calendar). We're aiming to have the packages ready to send by Monday, April 23. Give what you are able, we are not asking for a minium (or maximum amount).
2. Send the Message On
Send this blog on to friends, other RAs/Housing/Student Development folks, etc. and ask if they’ll help us out with this little endeavor. Please don’t forward it to list-serves or staff mailing lists or anything like that…let’s keep this a personal, grassroots effort. We don’t want to be clogging the email inboxes of people we don’t know.
3. If You Can't Give Money, Give Us Your Time!
If you’re in or around the Twin Cities the weekend of April 20 - 21 we would LOVE some help shopping for the care package stuff and assembling the bags. If you’re available, please let me know and once we get all the details figured out, I’ll let you know how it’s all going to work…all hands on deck!
If you decide to contribute time, energy, enthusiasm, please contact us IMMEDIATELY: prosium@comcast.net
Be sure to include the following:
1. Make a Donation, Quick!
Make a cash or check donation toward purchasing and shipping the care packages to VT resident assistants--but send it fast--classes at VT end on May 4th (according to their campus calendar). We're aiming to have the packages ready to send by Monday, April 23. Give what you are able, we are not asking for a minium (or maximum amount).
2. Send the Message On
Send this blog on to friends, other RAs/Housing/Student Development folks, etc. and ask if they’ll help us out with this little endeavor. Please don’t forward it to list-serves or staff mailing lists or anything like that…let’s keep this a personal, grassroots effort. We don’t want to be clogging the email inboxes of people we don’t know.
3. If You Can't Give Money, Give Us Your Time!
If you’re in or around the Twin Cities the weekend of April 20 - 21 we would LOVE some help shopping for the care package stuff and assembling the bags. If you’re available, please let me know and once we get all the details figured out, I’ll let you know how it’s all going to work…all hands on deck!
If you decide to contribute time, energy, enthusiasm, please contact us IMMEDIATELY: prosium@comcast.net
Be sure to include the following:
1. Your name and institutional affiliation/home townWe're going to write a little note to photocopy and put in all the bags…let us know if you have any messages that you want included. We're hoping that the spirit of that letter will be informed by the wonderful words of all of you!
2. Amount you’re sending via check (this helps for budgeting purposes)
3. Any comments/wishes you want to send along with the care packages to VT
Contact with VT's Residence Life Department
This morning I contacted the residence life department at VT. I wanted to make sure our efforts were okay with them. Sometimes it's good to make sure that what you think is "helpful" really is actually helpful. I also just wanted to give them a head's-up. With all they have going on, the last thing they need is a bunch of mysterious boxes showing up. Anyway, my conversation began with a wonderful administrative assistant (Shawn Shumaker) and culminated with this lovely email from Gail Kirby...VT's Interim Director of Residence Life. I just wanted to share her words with all of you:
Dear Emily-
I don't have the words to convey how meaningful your efforts are to me and my staff right now. At times like this, "6 degrees" is truly at work. I met with almost all of the student staff this evening and was able to convey with them the outpouring of support and care that we have been receiving on their behalf. It was incredibly helpful to them. Please share my thanks with your colleagues and know that we appreciate you.
Warm regards,
Gail Kirby
Interim Director of Residence Life
Welcome!
Welcome to this first post of VT Prosim. This blog is to document efforts to show support and solidarity for the students at Virginia Tech who have suffered a terrible tragedy. Our hope is to send 300 small care packages to the resident assistants (RAs) at VT. RAs are the first line of support for students who live on campus, and we'd like to boost their spirits since they have to be strong not just for themselves, but also for entire residence halls of students.
For those of you wondering, VT Prosim is a verbal contortion of VT's school motto "UT PROSIM" which in Latin means "That I May Serve". Written in the original Roman letters, "UT" would actually be written as "VT" and, well, that seems to suit our needs just fine.
For those of you wondering, VT Prosim is a verbal contortion of VT's school motto "UT PROSIM" which in Latin means "That I May Serve". Written in the original Roman letters, "UT" would actually be written as "VT" and, well, that seems to suit our needs just fine.
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