Last week a shockwave was sent through colleges and universities around the country due to the events that occurred at Northern Illinois University (NIU). The lives of five students were tragically cut short on Thursday, Feb. 14, when a gunman entered the Dekalb campus’ Cole Hall. Their names are: Gayle Dubowski, 20, Catalina Garcia, 20, Julianna Gehant, 32, Ryanne Mace, 19 and Daniel Parmenter, 20.

Two hours away from the secluded campus of Monmouth College, NIU is full of not only geographic connections to MC but also student connections. Many Monmouth College graduates have left Monmouth to enroll in graduate programs at Northern.

David Danaher, an ‘06 graduate of MC and current graduate student at NIU, said, “I don’t think I have seen so many people so afraid in my life…not necessarily for their own safety but because of the uncertainty and the magnitude of what had happened.”

Danaher went on to say, “My first thought was, before any of the ‘what if’ came up, was just disbelief…here, no, it just couldn’t happen, it’s not Virginia Tech; it’s Northern Illinois…it can’t happen here. It was complete and utter disbelief for the rest of the day.”

According to Danaher, Virginia Tech (VT) has been extremely supportive of NIU. Students and faculty from VT have made the trip to Dekalb to help with the healing process, as both schools overcome the great cost of the events at their respective campuses.

Students at NIU have used the event as a rallying point. According to Danaher, “The reactions from the students and faculty have been pretty surprising. On the first day there were four different candlelight vigils. The thing for the campus was the sense for the students to be a community together.”

Danaher went on to say, “There have been campus wide vigils with over 2,000 people there.”

This coming Sunday, Feb. 24, a full memorial service will be held for the five students that were killed. NIU is worried that the response may be so large that even their largest convocation center will not be able to hold the expected attendance.

A member of The Courier staff, junior Lucas Pauley, took classes in Cole Hall just a year ago in the 2007 spring semester. Pauley, who transferred back to Monmouth for the 2007 fall semester, still has very close ties to NIU.

“NIU has always been close to my heart as I’m sure is the case with many people on campus, and beyond, and the news came as a complete shock to me,” said Pauley.

Pauley still has friends and family in and around Dekalb; he still visits both NIU and the surrounding area frequently. Northern Illinois University has been an influential part of most of Pauley’s life.

Pauley also commented, “The community and campus most definitely have been dealt an immense blow, but I have no doubt that the students, faculty and citizens of NIU and Dekalb will continue to band together and will truly illustrate the strength and courage that the community has always been notorious for.”

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