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My thoughts today are with everyone affected, either directly or indirectly, by the tragedy that unfolded yesterday in Uvalde, Texas. I was immensely saddened to hear of the tragic loss of 21 lives, at the time of writing, 19 of whom were elementary school-aged children, and two adults. Our deepest sympathies are with the families and friends of these individuals, and with the greater Uvalde community.

Here at ¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ, these devastating school shootings feel particularly close to home, no matter where they occur. Not only is ¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ a higher education institution with A.D. Henderson/¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ High K-12 school on its Boca Raton campus, ¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ also is located very close to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High SchoolÌýin Parkland, where, in 2018, 17 people, including 14 students, lost their lives in a school shooting. Another 17 people there were injured.

Further, yesterday’s events came only 10 days after 10 Black people were killed and three other people were injured at a grocery store in Buffalo, N.Y., in a racially motivated attack. Also this month, three members of the Asian community in Dallas were targeted at a hair salon, and one person was killed and five others were injured at a church in Southern California that targeted members of the Taiwanese community.

These awful events underscore the importance of providing mental health services and awareness for anyone who feels they need help during these very emotional times.

¹ó´¡±«â€™sÌý Counseling and Psychological Services Ìýcenter is open to all undergraduate, graduate and professional students. The center can be reached at 561-297-2277. Additional resources are available through theÌý Dean of Students Ìýoffice.

For faculty and staff, confidential help or guidance is offered via theÌý Ìýwebsite (Login ID: Florida Atlantic University; Password: EAP) or call 1-800-865-3200.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Resources also are available atÌý.

Please do not hesitate to utilize these resources if help is needed. The health and safety of the entire university community is always paramount, especially during challenging times such as these.