Keep ya head up Hokies

Yes, I am Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Computer Science graduate of 2007.

From day one I stepped foot onto Virginia Tech's campus, adversity was there to welcomed me and my colleagues. Spring of 2002, Affirmative Action voted out by the Board of Visitors (BOV). I and about 100 hundred other Virginia Tech students busted into the President's office and demanded to know why they had made a decision ahead of the Supreme Court case decision involving Michigan University.

Another incident, not widely publicized at all, occurred in the Student center where feces was spread on the door of the NAACP office with part of the message saying "Go back to Africa" you can figure out the rest. The feces was removed before authorities could document the scene so those who may research my find it hard to come up with results. Please take my word for it. I was there with the my roommate who was at the time the president of the NAACP. I believe that was late Fall 2004.

Then we move to the young man who shot and killed the Blacksburg officer. That was the first week of Spring 2006. And of course that cold spring day in April 2007...

Now we come to the first week of Spring 2009 and begin with another tragedy. Two students were found shot and dead in a vehicle at the National Jefferson Forest. Some information on that can be found at http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/story.php?relyear=2009&itemno=639

I for one believe God only test the strong and I'm not here to argue that point. That is my religion, spirituality and positive nature speaking. Virginia Tech has always been resilient when it comes to tragedy and issues of the past and futures. I know this because I was well involved with the student leadership at Tech and had pleasure of creating great relations with faculty, staff and the President's office. The student body as whole does not let tragedy influence the atmosphere, when faced with tragedy we used it to show our strength in numbers. I honestly do not have much more to say because as write this I am remembering that cold spring day in April and become lost in thought. But as we mourn for all those who have lost their loved ones and have made their transitions. Let's remember that it is just that...a transition that we all one day will make as well. I believe we are below the heavens in a present day hell meant to prepare us for our transition.

So as i sit and reminisce,

on those that we miss,

missing their happiness which gave us bliss,

No there's nothing we can do to dismiss,

the hurt that comes about,

but believe their transition was not made in vain, no doubt,

God got it covered,

An angel with wings that has now made their route,

Many may not know the pain to lose a loved one,

I know it all too well,

I'll be a witness to God's blessings,

that you heart will heal and time will tell,

the story of a life once lived but not failed,

continue to keep you head up,

cause when you look up in the sky,

there they will be,

Another angel looking down,

at the God in you and me...

-jus kev