Has it really been one year? Saturday was a day to remember those lives lost on this campus one year ago. It was also a day to reflect on how the NIU campus community has come together since that fateful day. Attending many of the events on Saturday, I pondered how the grief that struck everyone last year could make its way back to NIU so quickly.

Seeing the looks on everyone’s faces at the wreath laying ceremony was astounding. I began to tear up a bit watching people just walking away from the scene near Cole hall, while still standing in a long line waiting my turn to see what the future memorial would look like as well as pay my respects, as a student, to the five fallen Huskies.

But later that day, as the crowd gathered in the King Memorial Commons, the looks on everyone’s faces changed. No longer were people weeping as they walked by Cole, but rather smiles were everywhere as the campus community came together one last time to remember the lives of five fellow students.

Nobody connected to the university will ever forget what happened on Feb. 14, 2008 – thanks in part to the university and how they handled the day of remembrance.

From the Convocation Center ceremony in the morning to the reception in the Duke Ellington Ballroom, Northern Illinois University shined bright from sunrise to sunset. When I first looked at what the university had planned, I thought that they could’ve done a bit better in planning events to help the community heal.

I was wrong.

The progress throughout the day, as well as the hospitality of everyone involved in planning each project, was perfect. A team of volunteers, “Huskies Helping Huskies” made everyone feel warm and welcome while attending the day’s events.

I couldn’t have asked for a better way to remember Feb. 14, 2008. And for that, I thank NIU.