In this section of the interview, university spokesman Larry Hincker talks more personally about his history at Tech, as well as his more personal feelings about the school, the emotional reaction to the shootings and more insight into how he handled the intense media scrutiny.
Q: I know that you've had one of the longest tenures at Tech of a lot of the administrative positions. How have you noticed the atmosphere changing from when you first started here until today?
A: Well, there's actually kind of a double answer to that because I first started here in the late '60s, when I came as a student, and significant changes were taking place at that time ... One of the things that I think that I noticed the most when I came back, and frankly, it's I think the theme that describes us after April 16, and that is, people really enjoy going to school here; people really like it. When I went to school, when I was your age, that was the Vietnam era and everybody was angry and people were protesting and schools were not necessarily fun places, colleges weren't. Now, they are, but particularly Virginia Tech is. And I think that you as a student probably have experienced this really sense of community, people really like it. Tech is the place to go to school in the state of Virginia; this year we set a record again for applications, almost 21,000 applications. That's the thing I think that hasn't changed, and that is, at least over the last 20 years, although I think April 16 really put a spotlight on it, is that there is a strong sense of community at Virginia Tech.
Q: What about over the past year, an attitude shift? We're known for the positive things that came out of April 16 - is there anything else to say about the past year?
A: Certainly the last year has intensified that. It's made people more sensitive to the need for community, and for the need to help and support. It's been hard as well; it's been compounded by, at least at the administrative level, the work pace and the tension. But as that begins to get back to a level of normality, I believe that this experience of communal support is going to help us. The one thing that continues to amaze me is this love of rock. I mean, to think that "Hokie Stone" ended up being what we use to memorialize 32 lost lives... I don't know what it is about the attachment to dolomite, but we got it.
Q: I know that your job is collaborative with the media, obviously, but have your feelings changed toward it since last April?
A: Yes and no. I have become very close to several reporters, because we endured it together; I mean, it was a cauldron for all of us. I really, really understand and respect the role of the media in our society better than before. I've always been the apologist for the first amendment. Everybody loves to hate the media, right? But we don't realize in this country how much we rely on the media for so many things ... It really is fundamental to our society. I'll give you what I've said publicly, and media was true to form: National media blew into town, had to solve the problems in 48 hours. Broadcast media has got its problems, and the print media are the ones that I end up relying on to make sure that the story was right.
Q: Was there anything that stuck out in your mind as being extraordinary coverage, that you would think back on and be glad to have that piece of history?
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