Campaign to Stem
Societal Violence

NASPA Mourns Passing of Zenobia Lawrence Hikes

(Oct 27, 2008) Today an inspirational leader, colleague, and friend to so many in the higher education community was lost in the person of Zenobia Lawrence Hikes. Hikes served most recently as vice president for student affairs at Virginia Tech, where she provided leadership oversight for 15 university departments, including housing and dining programs, career services, student health, recreational sports, and the Corps of Cadets.

In her capacity at Virginia Tech, Hikes played a key role in campus response and recovery efforts during and after the 2007 shootings. Ensuring such a tragedy never happened on another campus become her primary passion. As the closing keynote speaker at the 2008 NASPA Annual Conference, Hikes shared what was learned through the tragedy on her campus and charted a course for the future. Declaring, "Enough is Enough," Hikes called her colleagues to act with a "fierce urgency" to stem the tide of societal violence before students reach our nation's campuses. Out of this call to action came the "Enough is Enough" campaign, with its partner groups convening just weeks ago to flesh out its best course of action.

Hikes was also recently named a "Pillar of the Profession" by the NASPA Foundation, in honor of her outstanding leadership in the field of student affairs. The passing of Hikes is truly a loss - personally and professionally - for the countless number of students, colleagues, and community members she touched. NASPA remains committed to seeing Hikes' vision to stem the tide of societal violence come to fruition; indeed, her impact will continue to be felt through the passion she instilled in those around her.

The Invisible Empire
written by Nikki Giovanni for Zenobia Hikes
presented as part of 2008 NASPA Annual Conference closing keynote

We serve the invisible empire
          In the nether regions of trust and hope

Not exactly hour glasses
          Controlling the flow
          Of time
Trying to make it all
          All right
Trying to make it
          Better
More like sentinels
          Standing strong in our minds
          Compassionate in our hearts
          Intelligent in our judgments

We serve the invisible empire
          Of depression and fears

Stoic
          In the face of harm
Flexible
          In love and laughter
Hopeful
          Of that human spark
That says Yes
          There is a path
          To the Milky Way

I will journey with you
We serve the invisible empire
          Of the human soul

We are student life