Penn State students to further honor Virginia Tech community

Virginia Tech Tributes Set for Blue-White Game
Maroon and Orange Clad Students to Form "VT" Symbol

University Park, Pa. -- Penn State students and Intercollegiate Athletics will honor the victims of the tragedy at Virginia Tech, their families and the Virginia Tech community at Saturday's Blue-White football game in Beaver Stadium.

Soon after Monday's tragedy, Penn State students began organizing responses of support and compassion for the Virginia Tech community. Penn State has purchased 800 maroon and orange T-shirts, Virginia Tech's school colors, that will be worn by students to form a huge "VT" symbol in the student seating section at the Blue-White Game.

In addition to the "VT Zone at Blue-White Game" group, additional students will be wearing maroon and orange shirts to the Blue-White Game. This afternoon, local retailer, The Family Clothesline, sold 1,000 maroon and 1,000 orange shirts in approximately 30 minutes. The store expects to have an additional 10,000 shirts available around 12 p.m. on Friday. All proceeds from the shirt sales will be distributed to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund, established by Virginia Tech.

The Penn State Bookstore will have maroon and orange T-shirts on sale at its campus and Beaver Stadium locations, with all proceeds being sent to Virginia Tech.

Prior to the 2 p.m. kick for the Blue-White Game, a moment of silence will be observed and the Penn State Blue Band will play a special tribute to the Virginia Tech community. Blue Band members will be wearing orange T-shirts. The cheerleaders will then lead the crowd in a "Let's Go Hokies!" cheer.

Penn State students have been proactive in organizing efforts throughout the week.

- This afternoon, a memorial service, organized by Penn Students, to honor the victims of the Virginia Tech tragedy was held at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center on the University Park campus. More than 550 members of the Penn State and local community attended and listened to music, inspirational readings and several speakers.

- Members of Phi Sigma Rho, a social sorority for women in engineering and engineering technology, will be canning outside the Beaver Stadium gates on Saturday, with all proceeds going to the "We Are...All Hokies" Memorial Fund. The group also will be hosting a spaghetti dinner on Monday, April 23 from 5-9 p.m. at at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in downtown State College, with all proceeds going to the fund.

- Students are also organizing the signing of a banner, which will be sent to Virginia Tech, in the HUB-Robeson Center throughout the week. Additionally, a Penn State student-led group on Facebook.com is encouraging members of the Penn State community to wear maroon and orange on Friday, April 20 in honor of Virginia Tech. Maroon and orange T-shirts will be on sale at McLanahan's in downtown State College, with money from the sale being donated to the family of recent Penn State graduate and native of nearby Bellefonte Jeremy Herbstritt, a victim of the tragedy who was a graduate student at Virginia Tech.

The Office of Physical Plant, Centre County United Way and Nittany Bank have organized a special fund, "The United Way Memorial Fund for Jeremy Herbstritt." Contributions can be mailed to: Lloyd Rhoades, 149 Physical Plant Building, University Park, PA 16802. Anyone wishing to donate by credit card can go to the United Way Web site http://www.ccunitedway.org/index.html online. Make sure to state that the donation is to go to "The Jeremy Herbstritt Memorial Fund."