Virginia Tech, our prayers are with you...

It's hard to know what to say or think when something so tragic happens in our country. The violence, the senseless shooting, the young promising students whose lives were lost at Virginia Tech today, the countless others who were wounded.

Tomorrow night, Tuesday April 17th, at 5pm Provost and Officer in Charge, Susan Herbst, has called together the UAlbany community to hold a candlelight vigil at the small fountain in front of the Campus Center. If you can make it please come.

In Herbst's e-mail she wrote, "It is important for all of us to come together to remember those who needlessly lost their lives in this heartbreaking incident and to offer consolation and support to one another. In times such as these, our gathering will provide an opportunity to share our individual strengths for the collective comfort of our campus community.

The effects of such a catastrophe are so very far reaching that each of us will be forever changed by this unthinkable act. Please join me and others in the University at Albany community to express our heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the many who lost their lives."

I mourn their loss, grieve with their families and empathize with the students affected by this incident.

*** Fountain Day *** April 22 ****

When I was considering my Master's Program at UAlbany I called the Director of Graduate Studies in my department and he started with his wonderful British accent in laughter, "We just had the largest pillow fight recorded in Guinness book of world records yesterday on Fountain Day! It was great, there were about 3,648 students smacking each other with pillows when we turned on the fountain. " I knew then that I wanted to experience this event.

Now "Fountain Day" is a long standing tradition at UAlbany. It is the day where the whole university celebrates the large fountain in the middle of the podium being turned on for the rest of the Spring, Summer and part of the Fall season. It was something that Student Association started in 1979 for Human Awarness Program (HAP) which was a school sponsored event designed to break down the barriers that separated students and faculty. It still cherished by the University today!

Last year I had a conference scheduled at the same time so I was very disappointed that I couldn't make it. This year I don't! So April 22nd, I'm going to be at Fountain Day! There will be FREE FOOD, contests to win prizes, and Free Rubber Duckies! For more information on Fountain Day 2007 please click here.