Ball State students, faculty and staff gathered Thursday night for a ceremony dedicated to remembering the college students who have died from drug- or alcohol-related causes.
Student Government Association President Matthew Whitlock opened the ceremony.
"And so today we take a stand. We remember those we have lost," he said. "Whether we have known them directly or not, they are still a part of our community."
Whitlock included statistics in his speech, including that each year 1,800 students die in colleges across the nation due to alcohol.
"The numbers, at least for me, are astounding and staggering. And yet we find each weekend students continue to put themselves at risk," Whitlock said.
With red ribbons pinned to their shirts, members of the crowd were asked to come forward and say the name of someone they knew who had died.
"Let us wear our red ribbons in homage to those who have lost their lives as a result of substance abuse," said Chelsea Wheeler, Residence Hall Association president.
Whitlock said although there were not a lot of students at the ceremony, some of the students that did attend reflected the leadership of the campus, with the presidents of the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, SGA and RHA all being in attendance.
Whitlock said the significance of the ceremony was all of the students coming together to support a common cause.
The ceremony took place on the Quad in front of the Art Museum and was sponsored by SGA, RHA, greek councils, Peer Health Educators and the Division of Student Affairs.
By the numbers, all due to alcohol
- 1,800 students die each year in universities and across college campuses in this nation
- 599,000 students were unintentionally injured
- 696,000 students were assaulted
- 97,000 students were sexually assaulted
- 3.36 million students between the ages of 18 to 24 drove under the influence of alcohol in 2009
- 110,000 students between the ages of 18 to 24 arrested for alcohol-related violations, public intoxication or drunken driving
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