“This has been one of the saddest weeks in the history of Auburn University,” our President Jay Gogue said Monday.
A little more than a week has passed since we lost one of our own to a senseless act of unimaginable violence.
While covering the story around the clock since last Wednesday, I have been amazed at the reaction and steadfastness of this University.
When something like this happens, it shows the kindness of Auburn University.
When I came for my campus tour as a high school senior, someone tried to explain the concept of the “Auburn family.”
There are now more than 24,000 of us, and if this tragic event has shown me anything, it is that we are exactly like a family.
Like a family, we are not perfect.
We all make mistakes.
We don’t all get along, but when something happens to one of us, it happens to all of us.
I never knew Lauren Burk, but I knew she was a member of the same family that welcomed me with open arms nearly four years ago.
I never knew her favorite song or what she liked to eat, but I know we both believe tremendously in this University.
We both see Auburn as an institution constantly striving to move forward in academics and diversity.
At Lauren’s memorial service Monday, Dean Green said, “All of you Auburn men and women have conducted yourself with an incredible amount of compassion and kindness.”
While there were opportunities for us to lash out because of anger or frustration, we showed the world that Auburn is more than a University.
We have to realize, this situation is greater than any of us.
There is a reason why we are here. And that reason is greater than any degree, it is greater than any paycheck and it is greater than anything anyone can tell you you’re suppose to do.
Our real job is to find out what the reason is and get about the business of doing it.
The eyes of the nation were on this University for a considerable amount of time last week and Auburn refused buckle under pressure.
There will be questions of security and safety on campus the administration will answer.
President Gogue hasn’t even been here a year and his leadership through the calamity has proved, not only to me, but to the country that we have a president of the students, by the students and for the students.
We walked arm-in-arm together through an ordeal no one could have foreseen and an ordeal unaccustomed to Auburn.
Our minds still reel from the violence and our hearts still ache, but our spirit, that Tiger spirit, that has captured the admiration of millions remains strong, and our resolve is strong.
War Eagle.
David Ingram is the Editor of The Auburn Plainsman. You can reach him at 844-9021.
