Tina Laz/The Ithacan Junior Meaghan Sheehan sleeps on the Campus Center Quad during the morning hours of the Camp-in for Peace Friday.

It looked as if tears had streamed down rain-beaten posters calling for world peace at the Ithaca College “Camp-in for Peace” last Thursday.

On the rainy day, so unlike the day terrorists attacked the United States, students from Ithaca College and Cornell University gathered for a peace rally and a camp-in as a response to the attacks. And although the rain may have soaked the posters and moved some events inside to the Campus Center Pub, it did not dampen the spirits of students participating.

“We believe it is necessary to channel our energy for peace by condemning acts of violence and racism both on our campus and in our world,” said sophomore Kaitlin Stimpson, vice president of the Ithaca College Environmental Society members, the campus group sponsoring the event.

The peace rally offered an open mic from 4 to 6 p.m., featuring Associate Professor Fred Wilcox, writing, and a Tibetan monk as the main speakers.

William Scoones, interim provost and vice president of academic affairs, also made a statement in the absence of President Peggy R. Williams, urging campus peace and harmony.

Handouts and posters with thoughts and quotes promoting nonviolence were spread around tables in the Pub, and posters presented poems, pleas for peace, ideas for expression and even letter writing techniques.

“What are you most scared of right now?” one tabletop handout read.

At 6:30 p.m. the Pub was filled with music as two local bands, Revision and Cletus and the Barn Burners, performed.

Two hours later almost 75 students and community members sat in silence in the Pub as President George W. Bush addressed the nation, offering an ultimatum to the Taliban and promising lengthy and strong military action.

After the speech, students formed a drum circle on the academic quad, beating and bonding in efforts for peace into the late hours of the night.

Students slept outside under the tents and tarps in their own sleeping bags.

Stimpson said there were not large numbers of students because of the rain but added that she would not expect to get any more participants on a nice weekend day.

“We are not doing this to get a big turnout,” Stimpson said. “It is about the people who do come — making sure they have a great experience, learning and giving support.”