From: president-resc@exchange.vt.edu
[mailto:president-resc@exchange.vt.edu]
Sent: Friday, April 20, 2007 7:12 AM
To: Multiple recipients
Subject: We Will Prevail

Dear Fellow Members of the Virginia Tech Community:

First, I wish I could speak to each of you individually to thank you for
your courage and dedication and to tell you how much your support has
meant to our students, to their families, to the members of our extended
community, and to me personally.

During the horror of the last few days, the one bright light in the
darkness has been the strength and spirit so prevalent across campus.
As both President Bush and Governor Kaine noted, and as the world has
seen, Virginia Tech is a community in the truest sense of the word.  I
know I speak for many others when I tell you how proud I am of you, and
from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

After this traumatic experience, it will be difficult to resume our
lives and duties. But start again, we must.   By working together with
the spirit and bond strengthened by this tragedy, we will move forward
in a way that will honor the memory of those we have lost.

In that vein, we believe it best to resume classes on Monday, April 23.
Commencement will proceed as scheduled on May 11.  Our graduating
seniors and their families need and deserve this time to mark their
accomplishments and to start the next phase of their lives.   All of the
deceased student victims will be honored with posthumous degrees. 

For our students, information about course work has been posted on the
Virginia Tech home page.  There will be a great deal of flexibility in
providing options for completing the semester. 

In closing, I can only echo a few of the stirring words of Nikki
Giovanni:  "Through all our sadness . . . we will prevail."

I thank you, and again ask that you take care of yourselves, your
families, and each other.
Most sincerely,

Charles W. Steger
President