Dear Lumberjacks,

As we begin a new week on campus, the events that took place on Friday continue to weigh heavy on our minds. We have experienced a terrible tragedy that has left us all in a state of shock.

I am deeply moved by the outpouring of support we have received from our students and their families, our faculty and staff, our alumni, the Arizona Board of Regents, our community, fellow colleagues at colleges and universities around the country, and from the many others who have reached out to us during this difficult time.

Over the last few days, I have also drawn strength from the resiliency of our students. You have demonstrated your fortitude and compassion during a time of great sorrow—as evidenced in the Friday night vigil hosted by fraternity and sorority life. Your message was one of solidarity, reminding us all to be united and remain NAU strong.

In this spirit, we will be uniting the campus and community in a public gathering on Tuesday, Oct. 13. The gathering will begin at 3:30 p.m. in the South Quad, and we will make our way to Old Main in the historic North Quad for a brief program beginning at approximately 4:15 p.m. We invite you to join the procession on the pedway as we pass by your location, whether it is a classroom, an office, the library or the union. Here is a map of the route.

We will pause campus activities and ask that faculty release students from class so all may join us at this time. Please wear NAU attire or navy blue in support of our Lumberjack family.

Let us move forward, not to forget, but to remember who we are and what we mean to each other. Together we are NAU strong.

Sincerely,

Rita Hartung Cheng

NAU President