Following the deaths of three University of Virginia football players in an on-campus shooting Sunday night, Penn State offered its condolences and reminded students of available resources in wake of the tragedy.

“The tragedy unfolding there is heartbreaking,” Associate Vice President for Penn State University Police and Public Safety Charlie Noffsinger said. “Across our country, our schools and universities should be places where our youth can learn and grow, free from the threat of violence.”

Penn State students are encouraged to review the university’s Active Attacker Response Program, which instructs those to “run if you can, hide if you can’t, and fight as a last resort.”

Communication from Penn State in the event of an active shooter would come by way of the PSUAlert System that all students and employees automatically receive via email. Folks can also sign up to receive PSUAlerts through text messages or phone calls, too.

Counseling resources are available for students and employees at CAPS and the Employee Assistance Program, respectively, for those who need mental health support.

“As we express our heartfelt support for the entire UVA community, so too should we remember to lean on one another here at Penn State,” said Noffsinger.

About the Author

Keeley Lamm

Keeley was Onward State’s managing editor and social media manager in another life. She was also the host of Onward State’s podcast, Podward State. Hopefully she's sitting on a porch somewhere, and you can reach her at [email protected].

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