Virginia Tech, A Day of Sorrow

"All mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated...As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come: so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness....No man is an island, entire of itself...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." ~John Donne

FALLEN SCHOLARS

Please take a moment to pray for the victims and their families.


Ross Abdallah Alameddine, 20
Hometown: Saugus, Massachusetts
Sophomore, English, Business Information Technology
Student since fall 2005


Christopher James Bishop, 35
Hometown: Pine Mountain, Georgia
Instructor, Foreign Languages
1993 Fulbright Scholar
Residence in Blacksburg
Joined Virginia Tech on August 10, 2005


Brian Roy Bluhm, 25
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Master's student, Civil Engineering
Major: Water Resources
Student since spring 2005


Ryan Christopher Clark, 22
Hometown: Martinez, Georgia
Senior, Psychology, Biology, English
Student since fall 2002


Austin Michelle Cloyd, 18
Hometown: Champaign, Illinois
Freshman, Honors Program, International Studies
Student since fall 2006


Jocelyne Couture-Nowak
Adjunct Professor, Foreign Languages
Residence in Blacksburg
Joined Virginia Tech on August 10, 2001


Daniel Perez Cueva, 21
Hometown: Woodbridge, Virginia
Junior, International Studies
Student since summer 2006


Kevin P. Granata, PhD, 45
Professor, Engineering Science and Mechanics
Residence in Blacksburg
Joined Virginia Tech on January 10, 2003


Matthew Gregory Gwaltney, 24
Hometown: Chester, Virginia
Master’s student, Environmental Engineering
Graduate student since fall 2001


Caitlin Millar Hammaren, 19
Hometown: Westtown, New York
Sophomore, International Studies
Student since fall 2005


Jeremy Michael Herbstritt, 27
Hometown: Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Master's student, Civil Engineering
Student since fall 2006


Rachael Elizabeth Hill, 18
Hometown: Glenn Allen, Virginia
Freshman, Undecided
Student since fall 2006


Emily Jane Hilscher, 19
Hometown: Woodville, Virginia
Freshman, Animal and Poultry Sciences
Student since fall 2006


Jarrett Lee Lane, 22
Hometown: Narrows, Virginia
Senior, Civil Engineering
Student since fall 2003


Matthew Joseph LaPorte, 20
Hometown: Dumont, New Jersey
Sophomore, Leadership, Political Science
Student since fall 2005


Henry J. Lee, 20
Hometown: Roanoke, Virginia
Freshman, Computer Engineering
Student since fall 2006


Liviu Librescu, PhD, 76
Professor, Engineering Science and Mechanics
Residence in Blacksburg
Joined Virginia Tech on September 1, 1985


G.V. Loganathan, PhD, 51
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Residence in Blacksburg
Joined Virginia Tech on December 16, 1981


Partahi Mamora Halomoan Lumbantoruan, 34
Hometown: Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia
Ph.D. candidate, Civil Engineering
Student since fall 2003


Lauren Ashley McCain, 20
Hometown: Hampton, Virginia
Freshman, International Studies
Student since fall 2006


Daniel Patrick O'Neil, 22
Hometown: Lincoln, Rhode Island
Master's student, Environmental Engineering
Student since fall 2006


Juan Ramon Ortiz, 26
Hometown: Bayamon, PR
Master's student, Civil Engineering, Water Resources
Student since fall 2006


Minal Hiralal Panchal, 26
Hometown: Mumbai, India
Master’s student, Architecture
Student since fall 2006


Erin Nicole Peterson, 18
Hometown: Centreville, Virginia
Freshman, International Studies
Student since fall 2006


Michael Steven Pohle, Jr., 23
Hometown: Flemington, New Jersey
Senior, Biological Sciences
Student since fall 2002


Julia Kathleen Pryde, 23
Hometown: Middletown, New Jersey
Master's student, Biological Systems Engineering
Student since fall 2001


Mary Karen Read, 19
Hometown: Annandale, Virginia
Freshman, Interdisciplinary Studies
Student since fall 2006


Reema J. Samaha, 18
Hometown: Centreville, Virginia
Freshman, University Studies
Student since fall 2006


Waleed Mohammed Shaalan, 32
Hometown: Zagazig, Egypt
Ph.D. student, Civil Engineering
Student since fall 2006


Leslie Geraldine Sherman, 20
Hometown: Springfield, Virginia
Junior, Honors Program, History
Student since fall 2005


Maxine Shelly Turner, 22
Hometown: Vienna, Virginia
Senior, Honors Program, Chemical Engineering
Student since fall 2003


Nicole Regina White, 20
Hometown: Smithfield, Virginia
Junior, International Studies, German
Student since fall 2004


More details at roanoke.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE WOUNDED

Katelyn Elizabeth Carney, 21
Hometown: Sterling, Virginia
Junior, International Studies

Jamal Anthony Carver, 21
Hometown: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Senior, Engineering Science and Mechanics

Guillermo Leonel Colman, 38
Hometown: Harrisonburg, Virginia
Graduate student, Civil Engineering

Allison Claire Cook, 19
Hometown: Richmond, Virginia
Sophomore, Nutrition and Food

Garrett Evans, 30
Hometown: Plainfield, Illinois
Senior, Economics and Statistics

Colin Lynam Goddard, 21
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Senior, International Studies

Kristina Heeger, 19
Hometown: Fairfax, Virginia
Sophomore, International Studies

Justin Evans Klein, 20
Hometown: Catonsville, Maryland
Junior, Engineering Science and Mechanics

Sean Tyler McQuade, 22
Website
Hometown: Mullica Hill, New Jersey
Senior, Mathematics

Heidi Miller, 19
Hometown: Harrisonburg, Virginia
Freshman, Undeclared

Derek Jefferson O'Dell, 20
Hometown: Roanoke County
Sophomore, Biological Sciences

Kevin Tyler Sterne, 22
Hometown: Cumberland, Maryland
Senior, Electrical Engineering, Media Communications

Hilary Clare Strollo, 19
Hometown: Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
Sophomore, Biological Sciences

Matthew R. Webster, 23
Hometown: Smithfield, Virginia
Engineering Science and Mechanics


More details at roanoke.com

Reports by washingtonpost.com

Up Close & Personal - Guest Entry

A few days ago I came across an article on the BBC News that caught my attention: "Blog death threats spark debate ".

While scanning through hundreds of supportive comments following Kathy Sierra's exit post I counted seventeen people who made reference to the fact they had been targets of either cyberbullies or cyberstalkers. The majority of the victims related how law enforcement advised them to stay off the Internet. That suggestion is not an acceptable solution to an escalating problem.

Internet activist, Andy Carvin, proposed that March 30, be declared "Stop Cyberbullying Day" in order to raise awareness about this intolerable conduct. Recognizing that the topic requires more than a day to brainstorm, Andy created an online social network called "Stop Cyberbullying". It’s a remarkable assembly of educators and professional people who exchange ideas on the subject. A member of the group authored the following guest entry.

And this above all

We may often feel, in an unfamiliar environment, that the reputation we hold amongst friends and colleagues doesn't travel with us and cyberspace is no exception. A stalker or bully, aware of this vulnerability takes advantage, yet in reality it is they that are at a disadvantage.

There's a host of them out there, and they may seem to have power and influence, forcing others to yield to their will, but one thing they will never do is reveal their identity. Some operate in the political sphere and in concert, others may be found in business related defamation.

In my own experience, some are so determined that even the might of Google can be intimidated, to side with the stalker against one's efforts to call out their identity.

It doesn't pay off in the end, no matter how many threats are made, if you are consistent and hold in mind that "to thine own self be true" is as valuable today as when Shakespeare first penned the words.

Thus, by always presenting as yourself, you are an identity with a principle, unafraid of speaking out against bullying. The detractor is anonymity demanding freedom of speech with no credibility, just an arrangement of letters on a screen, however intimidating they may seem.

There is real intimidation in this world, enforced by people with guns and corrupt social norms. If we fail to stand up and be counted, the values of our own societies codified in law are at risk and we head in the same direction.

Lift the rock and flush them out, they are guaranteed to scatter.

~Jeff Mowatt


(My sincere appreciation to Mr. Mowatt for allowing me to publish his comments.)

stopcyberbullying