This weekend, as the NIU student body remembered the lives lost in last year’s tragedy, no event was more hands-on than the Memorial Mosaic held in the Holmes Student Center Regency Room.

This was the goal of Jessica Moquin, associate vice president of fine arts for the Campus Activities Board.

“I felt it was one of those things where the students feel helpless,” Moquin said. “Here students can come and fill in tiles and feel that they get to do something positive.”

The event consisted of participants coming in and receiving a square tile with a letter coinciding with the color of the paint they would apply. Shante Marshall, senior sociology major, was painting a black and white tile Saturday afternoon.

“I wanted to get out of the house and be more involved in the community and get my mind off a couple of things,” Marshall said.

Others joined Marshall to create the mosaic which featured a picture of the Holmes Student Center at night with stars in the background, the NIU Huskie graphic and an anonymous quote Moquin found on the Internet. The quote reads, “It matters not how long a star shines, what is remembered is the brightness of its light.”

Moquin said she came up with the concept of a hands-on event, but the entire fine arts committee came up with the idea for the tiles and a mosaic.

“I wanted to make my mark on everything that happened,” said Heather Mulholland, sports management grad student. “I want to make sure people remembered what happened last year for years to come.”

NIU Alumnus Seth Endres, who designed the picture for the mosaic, said he used the quote Moquin found to develop the imagery.

“I remember last year with my fraternity brothers how the Holmes Student Center was a place that made me feel serene and peaceful,” Endres said. “I wanted to bring this to the picture.”

Moquin said there isn’t a permanent home for the mosaic right now, but they should have a place by fall.

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