Condolences to Virginia Tech on behalf of Wake Forest

Letter to Dr. Charles W. Steger, President, Virginia Tech

Dear President Steger:

From the Wake Forest University community, I send to you, your students, your colleagues, and the families of today’s victims our profound sympathy. When the unimaginable happens, as it did on your campus today, our collective vulnerability looms large. Because of the special relationships that exist between our two universities — through our biomedical engineering program as well as our ACC competition — this tragedy weighs especially heavily on the hearts of Wake Foresters. The people of Virginia Tech, our neighbors across the Blue Ridge, are in our thoughts and prayers.

Please know that we stand ready to assist you in any way you deem appropriate. In particular, I offer the services of our counseling faculty and staff, some of whom went to New York after 9/11 and to New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Professor Samuel Gladding, chairman of our Counseling Department and a grief-counseling specialist, spoke on your campus very recently, and he is most willing to return if needed. There may be other needs that you will identify; be assured that we will help you in every way possible.

Sincerely,

Nathan O. Hatch

Wake Forest University