Michigan State University to mark one year since mass shooting with candlelight ceremony Tuesday
EAST LANSING, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - With the Spartan community set to mark one year since the Michigan State University mass shooting on Tuesday, thousands of luminaries are being distributed all around campus.
ASMSU and Michigan State Student Body president Emily Hoyumpa says students have been preparing for this week for months.
"ASMSU in collaboration with Sit Down Michigan State, March for Our Lives MSU, and Students In Action have been working on all of this advocacy and programming since November. It took a lot of collaboration, a lot of hard work, but together we have created something really beautiful," Hoyumpa says.
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On Tuesday, the Sparty statue is expected to be lit with more than 25,000 luminaries at a candlelight ceremony, all of which were handed out around campus including at the Breslin Center Monday night.
"Spartans alike from the community or on campus, off campus, can come here, pick up a luminary and sit and decorate it and just be with one another," Hoyumpa says.
Even MSU Interim President Teresa Woodruff stopped by to show her support. But along the long stretch of tables, students also found QR codes for mental health resources and access to counselors on campus who continue to help students heal says MSU undergrad student director of safety and wellness, Cathryn Harding.
"I think that is really unique to MSU. Just coming together during hard times and taking the togetherness we have had this week and all these events that we have done and using that to move forward in a positive way," Harding says.
While the entire week will be filled with events centered around self-care, mental health, advocacy and kindness, on Tuesday, the luminaries will serve as a beacon of light for the Spartan community to remain Spartan Strong.
"I think just recognizing that we have an amazing community that always shows up for each other, I think that is a beautiful thing," Harding says.
A candlelight ceremony is scheduled for 7:30-9:30 p.m. outside the MSU Sparty Statue in East Lansing on Tuesday.