Virginia Tech students Elizabeth Strawn and Jeff Graham sit near flags at half-staff on the campus in Blacksburg, Va. A senior from South Korea on April 16 killed people locked inside a classroom building and in a dorm. Associated Press More coverage Colleges look for faster ways to get urgent messages to students Podcast: A wounded community tries to move on Video: Remembering the tragedy at University of Texas at Austin

At first, the Virginia Tech shootings seemed like the sort of thing police around the country are called to every day. A domestic dispute in a dorm room, something that could happen on a big college campus without every student feeling touched by it. Certainly not the beginning of the massacre of 32 people — the worst shooting rampage in modern U.S. history.

LOCAL CAMPUSES REACT

St. Mary's: About 120 students, faculty and staff came together on the day of the shooting for an impromptu prayer service. A candlelight vigil and prayer services are scheduled for April 19 and 20, respectively.

Palo Alto: “We're getting ready to send an e-mail to faculty and staff, and we're going to pause for a moment of silence ..... to coincide with the one at Virginia Tech. We always have counselors available, and people are always welcome to talk about what they're feeling, especially in times like these,” public relations director Vincent Bosquez said.

San Antonio College: SAC also asked its students and staff to observe a moment of silence.

Incarnate Word: UIW was dedicating a mass to the Virginia Tech students.

UTSA: A student group was creating a giant card for people to sign to be mailed to Virginia Tech. “Right now, just as a university community, we're just empathizing with our colleagues, and we want all UTSA folks to know that we do have a lot of things in place that will hopefully help with any of their fears or pain they're feeling right now,” spokeswoman Marianne Lewis said.

Clint Hale, Jennifer Roolf Laster | 210SA