An hour after Virginia Tech students gathered at the drill field for a candlelight vigil, 10 Penn State students met last night at the gazebo on the HUB lawn with candles and prayers in remembrance of the tragedy that occurred.

Christa Wentworth (junior-life science) set up the vigil through facebook.com and word of mouth.

As they held their hands around their candles to keep the wind from blowing out the flames, students talked about the events and prayed for the healing process to begin.

The students said they were shocked by the events and did not learn about them until later in the day on Monday.

Jason Stine (senior-mechanical engineering) said he was shocked that there was no announcement of the tragedy unfolding.

"I didn't know until two in the afternoon," he said.

Joanna Witmer (sophomore-human development and family studies) started a prayer asking for God to "heal their hearts," and "be their strength in this time of need."

Witmer said Monday's events made her think about what Penn State students on campus could do.

"It made me think about how we could improve campus life," she said. "We could smile at people and perform random acts of kindness ... it could make a huge difference."

On Monday night, Wentworth and her friends used four rolls of 18-foot ribbon to make ribbons in Virginia Tech's colors -- Chicago maroon and burnt orange.

Yesterday, they distributed the ribbons in the HUB-Robeson Center. Some students even gave donations and Wentworth said she hopes to give the money to a Virginia Tech victims fund.

Several other members of the Penn State community who had ties to Virginia Tech said earlier yesterday that even now, there is still a feeling of shock.

"I was there 13 years," Matt McAllister, a professor in the College of Communications said. "I still have a lot of friends there. Really, the main initial feeling was surrealism ... I just couldn't wrap my head around the kind of numbers they were talking about."

McAllister said he had tried to contact multiple colleagues at Virginia Tech.

"Everybody is still in shock, and doesn't know what the days ahead will bring," he said. "It's something that words really can't capture."

Guy Barbato, associate professor of poultry sciences, said everybody who has a personal connection to Virginia Tech felt their hearts skip a beat that Monday afternoon.

"My wife's family is from Blacksburg -- thank God that everybody's OK," he said. "But we have a lot of friends that were directly or indirectly influenced by this."

McAllister said he plans to visit the Virginia Tech campus once the media fervor dies down.

"At this point, going there would contribute to the chaos of the town," he said. "Really, my main goal now is just to meet with my friends and listen."

The University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) is sponsoring a memorial service at noon tomorrow in the main worship hall of the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center.

Jay Chamberlin, UPUA president, said a memorial poster will be available for students to sign.