To the Purchase College Community,

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Virginia Tech community as it recovers from the tragic shootings that occurred there yesterday. We offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the many victims and extend our thoughts and prayers to those recovering from serious injuries.

In remembrance of those who lost their lives or were wounded, Purchase College will host a series of memorial services. Student Affairs will host an informal service tonight at 7pm in Southside. This time to heal and share will be followed by a candle light vigil at 8pm. We invite you all to join us for a brief campus-wide memorial service at noon on Wednesday, April 18th, in the Humanities Theater.

Traumatizing events can evoke a strong emotional reaction, even if you do not have a direct connection to the event. Counseling can be helpful in sorting and coping with those feelings; and you are encouraged to consult with a counselor to determine how counseling might be helpful. Please consult the attached document for useful information. We are also aware of our community’s security concerns at this time and have taken steps to heighten the presence of University Police.

We applaud the efforts of our colleagues at Virginia Tech as they meet the challenges of this difficult time and offer our best wishes and support as they heal.

Sincerely,
Thomas J. Schwarz
President

Virginia Tech Tragedy
“Where do I go from here?  What do I do?"

• Seek out persons who care for and support you.  Share your reactions, thoughts and how the experience impacted you.
• Know that the reactions to trauma described are normal responses to a very abnormal experience.  They occur in varying degrees of severity and type for each person.
• Limit the amount of time that you watch details about the tragedy on TV.
• “Baby yourself” – eat well, get your sleep, and do nurturing things.
• Express your feelings with your art!  Drawings, poetry etc. are all healthy ways to manage the feelings related to trauma.
• Consider writing a journal of your experience or feelings.
• Seek to gain perspective on the experience.  This is often helped by participation in counseling.  Other aids may include meditation, reading, spiritual refection or involvement in support groups.

We are here for you to process the recent events at Virginia Tech.  If you need to talk to someone please give us a call.  We will set up an appointment or come to your class. 

You may experience some of the symptoms below, this is normal!

• Shock:  often the initial reaction to events like this.  Shock is the person’s emotional protection from being too overwhelmed by the event.  You may feel stunned, numb, or in disbelief concerning the event.
• Suffering:  this is the long period of grief during which the person gradually comes to terms with the reality of the event/loss.  Feelings that life is overwhelming, chaotic and disorganized are common.
• Sadness:  The most common feeling found following traumatic events like this.  It may become quite intense and be experienced as emptiness or despair.
• Anger:  Can be one of the most confusing feelings for the grieving person.  Anger is a response to feeling powerless, frustrated, or even abandoned.
• Anxiety: Can range from mild insecurity to strong panic attacks.  Often grievers become anxious about their ability to take care of themselves, or fear an event like this will happen to them or a loved one.

Its good to talk about it!  We are here for YOU…give us a call!  The Counseling Center 251-6390.

How can I help?

There are a number of ways you can assist. Please visit the Virginia Tech website at: www.vt.edu on ways you can help the Virginia tech Community. Also visit the April 16 memorial Website: http://rosa.hosting.vt.edu/index.php/memorial/

Other detailed information about the Virginia Tech tragedy can be found on: http://www.vt.edu/tragedy/