Metal piece by artist Eric W. Schuttler, VT Class of 1993, inscribed “We are better than we think, and not quite what we want to be.” (H00203, Ms2008-020)

Every year Special Collections and University Archives, in partnership with the University Libraries and Virginia Tech Student Engagement and Campus Life, hosts annual remembrance exhibits to highlight the outpouring of love and support the university received in the aftermath of the tragedy of April 16, 2007. Although we are unable to host substantial physical exhibits this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have continued the remembrance exhibit online.

The exhibit We Are Better Than We Think: Selections from the April 16, 2007 Condolence Archives highlights the items Virginia Tech received following the events of April 16th. It features artifacts, children’s letters, poems, and more with messages of love, hope, and peace, most of which have not been displayed for exhibition before.

Visit the exhibit online at https://tinyurl.com/April162021Exhibit.

The title piece of the exhibit, “We Are Better Than We Think” by Eric W. Schuttler (pictured above) is on display in Newman Library near the 2nd floor entrance, April 12 thru April 23 during the library’s open hours. (No other items are on display.)

For more information on the university’s remembrance events, including the virtual 3.2-Mile Run in Remembrance, please visit https://www.weremember.vt.edu/.

One thought on “We Are Better Than We Think: April 16th remembrance exhibit online

  1. Seeing my late husband’s artwork displayed as a title piece in this exhibit has made me so proud. I am so glad we were able to trace this previously “unknown” piece of artwork back to Eric. He created it in the days following the tragedy and I was able to bring it to Virginia Tech and place it at the makeshift memorial. All of these years later, he would still be so proud to be a Hokie and to bring to life in artwork, the inspiring words of Nikki Giovanni. Thank you for sharing this. Christine Schuttler (’93)

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