Dear Monarch Nation:
Yesterday, a tragic incident shook our nation with the senseless killing of 19 children and two adults during a school shooting in Texas. Today, a small, close-knit community is mourning, and our country is attempting to make sense of this latest tragedy.
With the increased number of mass shootings occurring in our society, many individuals are experiencing a range of emotions that are difficult to process and impossible to understand. As a caring community of Monarchs, we are lifting up the family members and loved ones of the victims from such acts of violence.
In the days to come, we will keep the Uvalde community in our thoughts and prayers as we offer our support to the students, teachers, and administrators at Robb Elementary School. We also extend our support to others who are impacted in either direct or indirect ways.
During these challenging and uncertain times, I encourage each and every member of our campus community to utilize available resources as needed. Students are encouraged to contact Counseling Services at 757-683-4401 or Student Outreach and Support at oducares@odu.edu, while faculty and staff have access to the Employee Assistance Program at https://www.odu.edu/humanresources/benefits/eap.
Warmest Regards,
Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.
President