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BLACKSBURG -- Two weeks before the anniversary of shootings on Virginia Tech's campus that left 33 people dead, Tech President Charles Steger shared his thoughts on the past year.

What do you hope the campus community will take away from the remembrance events two weeks from now?

Charles Steger: I think one of the great lessons that we learned from the whole thing is that the sense of community and the resiliency that that gave the whole community. ... Had we not had that sense of community before, I think dealing with this tragedy would've been much more difficult in terms of support and everything else. So I hope that year marking the incident will be something that will cause people to reflect, and I'm sure it will. We've planned, I think, a very simple but dignified service.

As we get closer to that one-year mark, do you find yourself harkening back to that day or thinking about it more? Do you sense a different atmosphere in the community?

I think there is a palpable sense of anxiety that's growing, and I think that's just normal human psychology. ... And it's just going to happen. We'll have to manage our way through it. I don't know there's anything I can do about it or should do about it, but it's real.

Tell me about the decision to keep the April 16 memorial as it is.

CS: I've had conversations with dozens and dozens of people, including family members of injured students, as well as deceased students. And I would say almost without exception -- there may be a few -- people feel that this is a monument that was created by the students, by Hokies United. ... And they don't really want to have a monument that doesn't have behind it that spiritual support, I guess. You know, to go off somewhere else and build a monument ... that had no connection to the event, it kind of misses the whole point.

What's been the single toughest decision you've had to make in the last year?

CS: I certainly have no experience in dealing with a problem like this, and nobody else does either. But you try to think through how you lead this entire community of many constituents. ... How do you help move this entire community through the process of grieving that is respectful and in a way that recognizes that's a quality of being a human being? It's OK to cry, and it's not inappropriate to see counselors. It's not a sign of weakness. And how you do that with all those different constituents? It takes some thought. ... We still have a long way to go. This is something we'll be dealing with for years to come.

How has your job changed in the past year?

CS: Obviously I've spent an enormous amount of time dealing with this issue. The other thing that I didn't fully appreciate before it happened, and it's not me as an individual, but in times of crisis the symbolic role of being president. That has to be used wisely, but it has an impact in helping deal with the problem. ... That's one of the obligations that I've spent a lot more time thinking about and probably done a lot more of than I ever did before.

Can you talk a little bit about your relationship with the families?

CS: I think each family has to deal with this tragedy in their own way. ... Some still feel angry, and you have to understand that, you have to understand what they're going through and appreciate it. ... Jay Poole -- you know we set up the office of recovery and support -- he is in communication with some families almost on a daily basis. And whenever they've wanted to talk to me, I'm happy to do it. But they're all over the map in terms of where they are emotionally.

You're more well-known as a result of the tragedy. Can you talk about what that's been like?

The name recognition of the university now is global. We always had a good reputation, but now, any place I go in the world, literally, the VT symbol, people know about. On the personal side, I don't really seek or particularly want great notoriety. But I must say there's virtually no place you go where somebody doesn't recognize you. ...The extent of it, I never would've anticipated it.

Given that you've had a long year, have your thoughts on retirement and remaining here as president changed?

CS: I would say that today the university community is probably closer together than it's ever been. And the board, their support for what we're doing ... they couldn't be more positive about where we're going. So I've got a few more things to do before I go off to the great golf course.