As UConn grieves over the slaying of UConn star Jasper Howard, Michael J. Hogan, UConn’s president addressed the school community to acknowledge the loss and address how the school can stand together to get through it.
“We are still a community in grief over the loss of our Jasper, a promising student who was a member of our football team, which is how many of us came to know him,” Hogan wrote. “Jasper’s death represents for us a terrible, incomprehensible loss. We are diminished by his death, and we know it.”
Since Howard was stabbed outside a school-sponsored dance on Sunday, the school has held several events to bring the community together.
Tuesday was a day of silence and students wore dark clothes as a symbol of mourning. On Wednesday, the school held a candlelight vigil and thousands attended. Thursday, Friday and Saturday are Days of Reflection, with students writing notes or letters of condolence.
On Saturday, the Huskies travel to play West Virginia and the game will be televised in the student union theater.
The Huskies will wear “JH” stickers on their helmets in honor of the teammate who died tragically in a stabbing last Sunday and there will be a moment of silence at the game.
West Virginia has planned tributes of their own in “Jazz’s” honor. West Virginia’s team will wear Howard’s number, 6, on their helmets, the Mountaineer Maniacs will distribute thousands of blue ribbons and students have been signing a 3-by-9-foot banner reading, "Today we're all Huskies."
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Brittany Franklin, a 21-year-old student from Virginia, has been making as many white cotton armbands as she and her friends they can to distribute to students. She invited 300 Facebook friends to participate, but the number quickly grew to 1,000. By late Wednesday it was up to nearly 5,400.
A fabric shop donated the cloth and two companies are printing the bands for free.
“While we mourn this day, we have Jasper’s memory and spirit to help us carry on, and to remain a place where students can flourish, hope can endure, and evil will forever be banished,” Hogan said.
Hogan advised students to take care of each other and reach out to those who are struggling.
“Few of us deal easily with shock and grief in isolation. Talk together. Students, call home. Parents, call your daughters and your sons. Listen and talk to one another, and in that contact seek the beginnings of solace and comfort,” he wrote.
“UConn is a family. Many of us have parents, daughters and sons, sisters and brothers, and friends who are UConn alumni. Many of you are accustomed to visiting the Storrs campus for athletic events and academic gatherings. However near to or far from UConn and its people each of us may be, tragic events like this remind us of how important it is to care for each other, to do our parts to ensure that, as a University, we continue to place the highest value on respect, tolerance, kindness, and civility,” he wrote.
UConn is posting events held in Connecticut on the Athletics Web site.
No one has yet been charged with Howard’s homicide, but Howard’s family said they are confident the case will be solved.
