In the wake of the devastating events at Virginia Tech, I'm sure we are all thinking about and praying for the victims, their friends and families, the witnesses.

Even in the face of tragedy, I can't help but see the similarities of the Penn State and Virginia Tech communities -- the close student body, school spirit in the wake of great tragedy and, most importantly, their ability to pull together in the face of indescribable shock and sadness. I think back to when I was a student on Sept. 11, 2001.

I sat in statistics class as suicide bombers hijacked planes and flew into the very same building I stood on top of and took pictures with my parents on summer vacation. My immediate thought was of my Uncle Brian, who worked in the building next to the Trade Center.

I didn't know the fate of my loved one, but my condolence was that I was surrounded by friends and classmates who were just as overwhelmed and scared as I. We held onto each other waiting for news of any kind. Penn State students gathered around the HUB, dorm rooms, sorority suites and frat houses to watch the events transpire. We shared stories of pain, of where we were when we heard the news. Without our families and loved ones beside us, we came together, as friends, to share our stories of fear and sadness.

An entire university, students, faculty and alumni alike, came together to grieve for victims and pray for survivors. The unity of Penn State students -- toward our country and its people -- on that day, and until this day, remains unmatched. Students of all backgrounds stood together on Old Main lawn that night carrying candles and praying. In the face of a terrible tragedy, our school, Penn State University, united and became stronger.

I hope that the students of Virginia Tech, a school storied with academic and athletic success, can find the same strength I found in my Penn State friends on 9/11. I pray they find the strength to carry on, to thrive and to fight on as a student body, Virginia Tech Hokies.