Since the Monday, Feb. 13, shooting on Michigan State University's campus, there have been 70 mass shootings in the U.S., according to the National Gun Archive.
On Wednesday, March 22, two administrators in a Denver, Colorado high school were shot. On Monday, March 27, a school shooting at Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee left three children and three adults dead.
MSU spokesperson Emily Guerrant said in an email that the university does not have an official statement on the Nashville shooting but pointed students toward mental health resources.
“We understand people may have different reactions and be impacted in different ways depending on where they were, past trauma experiences, and the ways in which they find helpful navigating their healing journey,” Guerrant said in the email. “MSU continues to provide counseling support services to those who need it. Those supports for students, faculty and staff can be found on Counseling and Psychiatric Services’ website."
Seeing news of more incidents of gun violence can be triggering for MSU students who are still trying to heal after the tragedy, like social relations policy and international relations freshman Khushi Gooroochurn. Before the MSU shooting, gun violence felt less prevalent to her.
“Not that I wasn’t angry, or I didn't think we need gun control ... but it was very distant," Gooroochurn said. "Now that it has happened, it’s as though it cannot stop happening.”
Being exposed to more news of violence is detrimental to Gooroochurn's own recovery after the MSU shooting, she said. Hearing about the Nashville shooting was particularly hard for her because of the age of the victims — each of the three students were nine years old.
"You can’t really get away from the media,” Gooroochurn said. “You’re getting the notifications on your phone, and if you’re not getting the notifications, someone around you is talking about it.”
Special education junior Isabell Williamson said news of the Nashville shooting was jarring and made her feel anxious.
“It’s just so scary to think about,” she said. “I think it had an impact on me that I didn't expect. It also really illuminated how fast people who aren’t in our community seem to move on from what happened.”
Williamson said she’s seen other school shooting survivors discuss how the presence of gun violence can make recovering and healing feel impossible.
“I hadn’t really considered that before, how difficult that would be and how it’s something you can’t escape from at all,” Williamson said.
Gooroochurn said the university is not doing an adequate job of providing support resources for students.
“Therapy dogs (are) not going to cut it,” Gooroochurn said. “As much as I think they’re cute, as much as I appreciate it, that is not all we need. I understand that CAPS is a resource, (but) not every student is comfortable with that resource, and that’s ok.”
Instead, Gooroochurn urges professors and deans to lighten coursework and give students a place to grieve.
Williamson said it would be more helpful to have a more clear resource list from MSU.
“I know they’ve been good at sending out resources for students and staff, but (not) trauma-informed resources … instead of very generalized, 'Well we have people you can talk to,'” Williamson said. “It felt like a fairly short-lived thing … I wish they would continue to give out clear information.”
In Williamson's classes, it feels like professors are expecting students to be back to normal by a certain point.
“Because (MSU) didn’t issue a statement, it’s a kind of feeling alone in just … feeling awful about it again,” Williamson said. “When we had classes that day and the next, none of my professors said anything. No one was really talking about it. It felt very isolating.”
Mental health and support resources can be found on the MSU Counseling and Psychiatric Services website.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
CAPS has a 24/7 virtual crisis hotline that students can call and speak with a counselor at any point in time. They can be reached by pressing “1” after calling (517) 355-8270.
Self-guided resources, such as soothing breathing techniques and progressive muscle relaxation, are also available on the CAPS Resources page.
Faculty and staff seeking counseling can access the MSU Employee Assistance Program for in-person and Zoom services.
MSU Health Care Psychiatry, Center for Survivors, Safe Place, and Health Promotion are additional organizations that provide counseling services and healing programs.
More resources can be found here.
