College shootings have been on the rise, however the rising number doesn’t numb the pain felt by the entire nation, especially for those on other college campuses. 

A memorial was held in front of the Fountain of the Four Seasons at the southern entrance of the Memorial Union Thursday night to honor the lost from the most recent college shooting.

Nine people had lost their lives on the campus shooting that happened at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, on Oct. 1.

The vigil opened with a prayer led by Rev. Jennifer Suydan, a campus minister at Collegiate Presbyterian Church.

After the prayer, prominent members of the Iowa State and Ames community gave speeches regarding the shooting.

Megan Sweere, vice president of Student Government; Jerry Stewart, ISU Police chief of police; Ellyn Grimm, head of the Iowa chapter of Moms Demand Action; and Heaven Chamberlain, president of Cyclones Against Gun Violence; all spoke at the vigil.

Chamberlain’s speech focused on wanting to raise people’s awareness of unregulated gun control and campus gun violence. The memorial helped serve as a means of delivering the message.

“We need to mourn, but also be angry at the same time,” Chamberlain said. “Because there’s an average one school shooting every week, a massacre every week.” 

Chamberlain’s speech continued, taking an Iowa State focus. He called for action from the university and students.

“Iowa State doesn’t have any anti-gun or pro-gun regulation groups on campus,” she said. “Iowa State should take a stand and we get started doing that by recognizing that people die in campus shootings a lot.”

With about 35 people in attendance, the vigil was intimate, and the message poignant.

“If we don’t take a stand against gun violence now, we might get another shooting on campus as well,” Chamberlain said.

Congregation President Ron Jackson from Ames Jewish Congregation led the closing prayer.