I am an NIU Huskie

I am a graduate of Northern Illinois University (BA-Political Science '74). As a kid from the northwest suburbs it was always assumed I would go to college, but I never had the money or vision to attend a school too far from home. I had always wanted to be a teacher--from the first day I walked into Mrs. Vandewalker's first grade class--and NIU seemed like a perfect fit. I still remember the day I got my acceptance from NIU and dorm assignment--how happy I was. NIU was the only college I had applied to (unheard of in these days--my daughter applied to 4 undergraduate colleges). I was fortunate enough to receive a Teacher's Education Scholarship which provided me free tuition for my time at NIU. I had no idea what college would be like, and back in those days there was a reasonable degree of turmoil on campuses about the Vietnam War. I remember the spring before I went to college there was a protest at the Student Center across from Neptune East dormitory, where I would live the next fall. My mother saw that and just about had decided that she wouldn't let me go to NIU because of it. I begged her and things settled down and I started that fall as a wide-eyed kid out to save the world. Ah me the simpler days.

Yesterday I was sitting down watching some inane home improvement show with my 2 dogs when my dad called and asked if I'd seen what was happening at NIU. I immediately turned my television to Channel 2 in Chicago and saw the horror at Cole Hall. It's just steps from my former dorm--I used to have classes in Watson (right next to Cole) and Cole Hall. My heart is heavy for my alma mater and the families of the victims.

Please pray for all of them. When we send our kids to college we never think anything like this could possibly happen, but in today's world I think we always wonder just how safe we are. I'm sure that today God has his arms full of the young people who were horribly killed. I take solace in that, but my heart still hurts for their families.

Check this link to when all the buildings at NIU were constructed.

Please read this column by Mark Brown.
He writes for the Sun-Times and, like me, is a NIU grad.

I'm also a Cary-Grove High School grad. My schools have been in the news (in a bad way) and it really saddens me. When the horrible bus accident occurred in Fox River Grove I heard CARY GROVE HIGH SCHOOL on the news and saw the horror of that situation. And now NIU is in the news for this terrible event. YOU NEVER WANT TO HEAR YOUR ALMA-MATERS MENTIONED LIKE THIS. Please God, no more.