Students gathered in the Chattanooga State cafeteria Thursday for an impromptu memorial service, hoping to heighten concern about the crisis in Haiti.
Many cried as they saw, for the first time, pictures of dead children and mutilated survivors.
"I felt bad for them, and I want to help," said Nicole Reid, a nursing student at Chattanooga State Community College who decided to give money to the American Red Cross after the event.
More than 300 students attended the student-led service, called Embrace Haiti, and many said they decided to donate money to relief agencies to help efforts in the country devastated by an earthquake last week.
Students made posters for two Haitian students at Chattanooga State who lost family members and homes. Those students were not present at the memorial, said Dale Grisso, student body president at Chattanooga State.
"We are trying to raise awareness," Mr. Grisso said. "We want to provide a link for people to get involved."
Two students performed songs they had written for the event. One song, a rap titled "When It Hits Home," was performed by a student who called himself Street Saint. Many in the crowd held back tears as they listened.
Over the last few days, a wave of concern for the Haitian people has swept Chattanooga State's campus, said Mr. Grisso, who helped organize Embrace Haiti.
On Thursday, officials and students decided to get instructors and students to drive a truck from the Chattanooga State trucking program to Miami to deliver needed supplies to Haiti.
"Let's pack it out, y'all," Bobbi Blevins, a paralegal student at Chattanooga State, yelled to the students who had gathered. "Let's send two trucks. Let's show Haiti how much we love them."
The Student Government Association is asking students to go without a meal or two this week and donate the money they would have spent to aid relief efforts.
"I know we are all poor students, but we can at least give 50 cents or a $1," Ms. Blevins said. "Chattanooga State has over 11,000 students, and if we each give $1, that's a lot of money."
GET INVOLVEDCustomers of participating wireless carriers can text message "HAITI" to 90999 and make a $10 donation to support Red Cross relief efforts there. Donations will appear on customers' monthly bills or be debited from a prepaid account balance.Source: American Red Cross
Ray Smith, a business professor at Bethel College, which holds classes at Chattanooga State, is helping organize the effort. He said the school will be collecting medical supplies, bedding, blankets and clothing to send.
Dr. Smith lived in Haiti for eight years and said he plans to travel to the country within the month to work with medics and disabled Haitians.
In the next few years, he said, he hopes to see students, especially those studying in the medical field, travel to Haiti to help with rebuilding and relief efforts.
"There have been thousands and thousands of people killed," Dr. Smith said. "But there have also been thousands of people saved."