Baylor Tower Glows In Honor Of Virginia Tech

(To access Baylor's response to the Virginia Tech tragedy, including links to University services, statements and news releases, and local and state news stories, go to: Baylor Responds To The Tragedy At Virginia Tech.)

Media contact: Lori Fogleman, director of media relations, (254) 710-6275

Baylor University's Pat Neff Hall tower will glow again tonight (April 24) in maroon and orange in a continued demonstration of Baylor's support for the entire Virginia Tech community.

The tower in Baylor's historic administration building, usually illuminated in traditional green light, was lit in Virginia Tech's school colors on Monday night, as classes resumed in Blacksburg, a week after a devastating tragedy took the lives of 32 students and faculty.

Baylor President John M. Lilley sent a message to students, faculty and staff on Monday, calling the tower light change at Baylor "a symbol of our continued thoughts and prayers for the victims."

"Perhaps more than others, we who are presently studying or employed at a college or university can envision the devastation that has been caused by this senseless act and the terrible sorrow that has gripped the Virginia Tech campus during the past week," Lilley said.

The idea to change the tower lights to honor Virginia Tech came from Baylor students, said Dr. Dub Oliver, vice president for student life at Baylor. The university ordered "gels" in the Hokies' official colors, installing them in time for Baylor's tower to glow maroon and orange on Monday and Tuesday nights.

Baylor plans to send photographs of the tower to Virginia Tech to "remind them that we at Baylor stand with them during this difficult time," Lilley said.

Baylor students also signed green and gold Baylor banners last week in the Bill Daniel Student Center and at the university's Diadeloso event on Thursday. The banners, bearing hundreds of signatures, will be sent to Virginia Tech, said Taryn Ozuna, coordinator for multicultural activities at Baylor.

Baylor students also gave away maroon and orange ribbons during Diadeloso, the university's traditional day off from classes in April, as a show of support for fellow students at Virginia Tech.

It is a rare occurrence for the Pat Neff tower to be lit in any other color than the traditional green. One of the few times was on Feb. 4, 2005, when the tower was illuminated in red light in honor of the American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" campaign. On that day, Pat Neff Hall joined a list of other U.S. landmarks that went "red," including the Empire State Building, Washington Monument, Graceland, Niagara Falls and the Seattle Space Needle.