Memorial returns life to campus

The Wesleyan campus came back to life at midday today, revived by a brief memorial service for Johanna Justin-Jinich. Wesleyan yesterday was an eerily abandoned university, with doors locked, windows dark and no signs of life beyond police and public safety officers. Wesleyan this morning no longer looked completely abandoned, as the lights were on and doors were open, but still there were virtually no people on the paths and greens of campus.

Today's memorial service revived the campus. Shortly before 1PM the campus paths filled with students, staff, and faculty, streaming towards the center of campus behind the student center. Although the mood was sad, the movement and assembling of so many people was a turning point in the trauma and grief that has smothered us.

Nearly a thousand people filled the courtyard of the student center, and formed a spontaneous circle around the microphone on the nearby grass. Head of Religious Life David Leipziger Teva and President Michael Roth each spoke very briefly.

An hour after the service concluded, many students, faculty, and staff remained in the courtyard, the paths had people on them, and small groups of students sat on Foss Hill to talk. One student softly played his guitar.