The Student Civic Engagement Committee is hosting a week-long memorial event in honor of the lives lost in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.
The event commemorates the 24th anniversary of the bombing, which killed 168 people.
The event is taking place outside the caf during lunch and dinner this week. Students can paint “kindness rocks” with messages that are being placed at the base of the “Tree of Peace and Hope,” which was planted on the quad in honor of the bombing victims and victims of the terrorist attacks on 9/11.
Levi Harrel, director of student engagement, said he hopes students gain knowledge and understanding of the bombing, which occurred almost 24 years ago on April 19, 1995.
“The vast majority of our undergraduate students weren’t alive when this tragedy happened, so there will be an educational aspect,” Harrel said. “We really want to spread and inspire hope and joy, and share an understanding of the resilience our city and state had in light of this incident. We get to be a part of that with this event in remembrance of the lives that were lost.”
Lauren Leppke, theatre and performance freshman, said the event also will spread awareness to students who are not from Oklahoma.
“I know lots of students on campus who are from other states, and they had no clue about the bombing until they got here,” Leppke said. “I recently worked on a play that mentioned the bombing, and we had to have a talk about its history because nobody knew about it except the Oklahomans.”
Harrel said this year’s event is different from previous memorials at OCU.
“Last year we met around the sapling of the survivor tree, which is planted on the quad lawn, and tied yellow ribbons of remembrance to signify the lives that were lost,” he said. “This year we are changing that up a bit to integrate the understanding of the event a bit more fully and to have an opportunity to get more of the campus community involved.”
Trae Trousdale, mass communications sophomore and Student Government Association president elect, said students should attend not just the campus event, but the city memorial as well.
“I really encourage our students to head down to the memorial museum on Friday, the anniversary of the bombing,” Trousdale said. “Admission will be free that day, so I would definitely go down and take advantage of that.”
The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. It is located at 620 N. Harvey Ave.
Leppke said she hopes to see students come together and grow from the experience.
“Oklahoma really set the standard for love and support after tragedies like this,” Leppke said. “I think this event will be a great way to keep that standard going on our campus.”
Harrel said he encourages students to stop by the event throughout the week as often as they wish.
“It’s very easy to become involved,” Harrel said. “Come by as many times as you would like. Paint a rock. Paint two rocks, or even five rocks. Share those messages of inspiration, hope and joy with our campus community. Let’s come together and get them out there.”
Students with questions may email Harrel at ljharrel@okcu.edu.
Editor’s Note: Community Manager Maddie Bowes is program coordinator for the event. She did not participate in the writing or editing of this story.
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