On April 16, Virginia Tech experienced an unspeakable tragedy. Although Charter Oak State College is geographically miles away from Virginia Tech, we feel the grief of all who lost family and friends. The entire Charter Oak community extends its deepest sympathy.

The day following the horrific event, we paused from our daily activities to observe a moment of silence at the same time the Virginia Tech community gathered in Blacksburg to honor the memory of those killed. We will continue to reflect on the Virginia Tech experience; and hopefully, it will influence the way we regularly reach out to each other.