Leslie Geraldine Sherman

• Status: Sophomore
• Major: History/
  international studies
• Hometown: Springfield
• High School: West Springfield
• Parents: Anthony and Holly Sherman
• Blacksburg residence: Campbell dorm

Related

• Sign Leslie's guest book
• Virginia Tech shooting victims

When she began working at Tech's West End Market dining facility a year and a half ago, Leslie Sherman was shy and didn't have a lot to say, operations manager Jamie Parnell recalled Wednesday.

"She came out of her shell more and more as she got used to going to college," Parnell said. "It was nice to see her transform."

Sherman worked in the Chop House, where the school serves such things as steak and lobster, and Bistro Firenze, specializing in pizza.

"She was moving up to be a shop supervisor," Parnell said, overseeing a night crew of student workers.

"She always had a positive attitude ... and tried to cheer other people up."

Sherman didn't talk a lot about school, Parnell said, although he believed she was doing well academically. "She liked to play basketball, and she had a lot of friends through work -- co-workers and customers."

Fairfax County Public Schools would not confirm information, but the West Springfield High School Web site shows that Sherman was a member of the class of 2005. She was an honor roll student and a member of the National Honor Society.

Although her high school was in the same county where Cho Seung-Hui attended a different school, Parnell said that, "as far as I know, she had no reason to know the shooter."

As of Wednesday, Parnell said he had not received any information about a funeral for Sherman, but "quite a few people from here are going up there when we get word about what's going on."

"She was an outstanding young woman. She'll truly be missed by everybody here."

-- Cody Lowe