Photographic images sent in from community members were displayed throughout the day as part of the Images of Hope exhibit at Northern Illinois University.

“They’re really neat and very touching,” said Marrilee Emmert, who viewed the exhibit and whose daughter was at Northern last year. “It really shows that the community is pulling together.”

Rhonda Robinson, professor of educational technology at NIU, started the Images of Hope exhibit to help heal the campus community.

“The idea started because I have an interest in photography and how much photos can convey without words,” Robinson said.

Over 100 images were sent in from students and community members. The Images of Hope was publicized on local radio stations, newspapers, on campus and throughout the community to try to get a variety of images, Robinson said.

“We felt like so many people could participate because everyone knows how to use a camera,” Robinson said.

The images sent were displayed exactly how they were sent in, without aditional editing, she said. Most of the photos sent in were used- either displayed on the wall or on a running slideshow projected on a screen, Robinson said.

“We have participation from the family of the victims, people injured, other students and people all through the community,” Robinson said. “The images were all so diverse and hopeful, and we really wanted to try to pull together an exhibit of hope and recovery.”

There were images of nature, locations on Northern’s campus, religious events and many other types of photos.

“You don’t realize how much emotion there still is about it all,” Emmert said.