Spring Break
Students reflect one year after tragedy
EFFECTS OF VIRGINIA TECH
MELISSA WEINMAN
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: News
Today marks the one year anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting, and many students say they think about the possibility of a similar tragedy happening at the University.
"It's a reality. It could happen here," Anna Bearden, a senior from Commerce, said. "It could've easily happened here."
On this day last year, Virginia Tech student Seung-Hui Cho set out on the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history when he shot 32 people and then himself on the school's campus.
Since the incident, the University has taken measures to prepare should a shooting of this magnitude happen here.
"There's only so much you can do," Steven Peele, a senior from Winder, said about preventing an attack. "You can't be proactive, you can only be reactive."
Russell Tillery, a sophomore from Atlanta, said he thinks a shooting is "something you couldn't control. A lot has to do with the individual."
The most visible change on campus is the UGAAlert system, which sends e-mails, calls and text messages to students in case of an emergency.
"You can't ignore it - you will be alerted," Dave Gholson, a senior from Bishop, said.
Many students cited the recent tornado alert as a sign the UGAAlert system is effective.
"With the weather, it was really helpful," Bearden said.
Gholson noted the frequency with which he was alerted.
"After 400 calls and 200 e-mails, yes," it's effective, Gholson said.
Other students said they felt there was a significant police presence on campus.
Some students were able to recall their feelings when they heard the news of the incident.
"Holy crap, this could be a terrorist plot," Jay Smith, a sophomore from Fitzgerald, said he thought that day.
"My heart goes out to their campus," Wesleigh Maddox, a senior from Marietta, said she remembered feeling.
"I wasn't even in the states when it happened," Peele, who was in South Korea at the time of the shooting, said.
Peele was far removed from the situation, but he witnessed its effects among Koreans.
Though Cho had lived in America for much of his life, he was a Korean citizen.
Peele said there was dialogue about the shooting among Koreans, and because they are "very community-oriented," they felt guilty and ashamed about it because of his heritage.
"You can't get a gun as a citizen," in South Korea, so "it never could have happened there," Peele said.
"It's a reality. It could happen here," Anna Bearden, a senior from Commerce, said. "It could've easily happened here."
On this day last year, Virginia Tech student Seung-Hui Cho set out on the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history when he shot 32 people and then himself on the school's campus.
Since the incident, the University has taken measures to prepare should a shooting of this magnitude happen here.
"There's only so much you can do," Steven Peele, a senior from Winder, said about preventing an attack. "You can't be proactive, you can only be reactive."
Russell Tillery, a sophomore from Atlanta, said he thinks a shooting is "something you couldn't control. A lot has to do with the individual."
The most visible change on campus is the UGAAlert system, which sends e-mails, calls and text messages to students in case of an emergency.
"You can't ignore it - you will be alerted," Dave Gholson, a senior from Bishop, said.
Many students cited the recent tornado alert as a sign the UGAAlert system is effective.
"With the weather, it was really helpful," Bearden said.
Gholson noted the frequency with which he was alerted.
"After 400 calls and 200 e-mails, yes," it's effective, Gholson said.
Other students said they felt there was a significant police presence on campus.
Some students were able to recall their feelings when they heard the news of the incident.
"Holy crap, this could be a terrorist plot," Jay Smith, a sophomore from Fitzgerald, said he thought that day.
"My heart goes out to their campus," Wesleigh Maddox, a senior from Marietta, said she remembered feeling.
"I wasn't even in the states when it happened," Peele, who was in South Korea at the time of the shooting, said.
Peele was far removed from the situation, but he witnessed its effects among Koreans.
Though Cho had lived in America for much of his life, he was a Korean citizen.
Peele said there was dialogue about the shooting among Koreans, and because they are "very community-oriented," they felt guilty and ashamed about it because of his heritage.
"You can't get a gun as a citizen," in South Korea, so "it never could have happened there," Peele said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
James
posted 4/16/08 @ 10:20 AM EST
Reflection is good - it's part of the healing process - but you had better be ready to defend yourself in a worst case scenario. The University can only help you up until the time all of their best laid security plans are thwarted. (Continued…)
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