Students, faculty and members of the community gathered in Village Square on Feb. 26 to mourn the five victims whose lives were ended abruptly in the NIU shootings. The lives of Daniel Parmenter, Catalina Garcia, Ryanne Mace, Julianna Gehant and Gayle Dubowski were honored at the remembrance gathering.
Faces filled with angst looked around for comfort and found it in their unity. President Hahs hosted the vigil, in addition to other speakers. The message was clear: NEIU remembers. People stood together, engulfed in emotions, all with one thing on their minds; “We will never forget.” The crowd observed a moment of silence and with their heads bowed down, they remembered. Message scrolls and banners were laid out on tables for anyone who wished to send their condolences to NIU.
During the memorial service, message scrolls were presented to former NIU faculty member Elliot Lessen. The scrolls were then passed along to Sandra Polanco, representative for NIU and Assistant Director of Admissions and Financial Aid for the NIU College of Law.
The vigil was concluded with an expression of gratitude to everyone for their support. Sincere appreciation was given to the members of Alpha Psi Lambda for the window paintings in the Student Union, and thanks to the individuals who came together and stood as one. “This, right here, is a true demonstration of community.” The emphasis was on the importance of a community standing together to show their support at times of tragedy and despair.