URI junior Christina Knoll organized a peace demonstration that was held on the Kingston campus on November 18, 2009. Knoll and other members of the campus community stood together for 15 minutes of silence to protest  hatred and bigotry on campus and throughout the world. The vigil followed the discovery by students of bigoted messages in various campus locations.

Knoll, A wildlife and conservation biology major from New Jersey, says her parents taught her lasting lessons about respect and tolerance. “They have always told me to stand strong for what I believe in and don’t doubt myself no matter what people say to me,” Knoll said. “They made me strong enough to be able to organize this.”

Read an editorial from The Good Five-Cent Cigar, November 19, 2009

Read a news report from The Good Five-Cent Cigar, December 11, 2009