While rescue workers search the disaster areas in New York and Washington, a handful of Penn students are left watching and waiting for word on loved ones who may have perished in the attacks.
So far, less than a dozen students have come to Counseling and Psychological Services after learning that friends and family were lost on Tuesday.
"It seems like people are just starting to find out if people are missing or are in hospitals, or thankfully finding out that loved ones are okay," Vice Provost for University Life Valerie Swain-Cade McCoullum said.
But even for those whose lives the attacks haven't directly touched, Tuesday's events are still leaving them to question their safety and well-being.
According to McCoullum, handfuls of students have been trickling into the 24-hour Houston Hall and 3611 Locust Walk counseling centers for help dealing with their shock and mixed emotions. Counselors are finding it difficult to estimate the levels of grief counseling needed on campus.
CAPS Director Ilene Rosenstein notes that it is still too soon to gauge the need for intense counseling.
"Many people are still just sitting and waiting by the phones," Rosenstein said. "We won't be certain how much of a need there is for a few more days or even weeks."
Rosenstein said that many students who have lost someone have returned home to seek solace with family and close personal friends, while those who have been reassured of their loved ones' safety are uncertain whether to go home or to stay on campus.
"A lot of people want to go home to see the person that was missing to reassure themselves that they are alright," Rosenstein said. "Others feel like they have an obligation to go home, but feel more comfortable at Penn. We've had a lot of students come in dealing with those issues."
In the coming days and weeks, as actual casualty numbers become more apparent and students return to some sense of normalcy, both Rosenstein and McCoullum expect that students will need to reach out for different types of counseling.
"At this point, those who are grieving are probably still in shock and won't turn to counseling right away, but will need something in the next few weeks," Rosenstein said.
CAPS is still trying to determine ways of identifying those who may need help without being intrusive.
Possible scenarios include mass e-mails and postings across campus to notify students that help will be available.
CAPS psychologists feel it is inappropriate to use group counseling for those who are grieving over someone close to them. They plan to counsel such students on an individual basis, but do intend to encourage grief groups later on.
To respond to other demands, CAPS plans to tailor counseling to the unique needs of different students.
One form of counseling will come to the aid of those students who were several degrees removed from affected individuals. Included in this group are those who had acquaintances involved, or those who are helping someone close to them deal with a loss.
The first of these sessions will be held tomorrow afternoon in conjunction with Career Services. Career Services Director Pat Rose has written to students who worked in New York this past summer. The group sessions will discuss dealing with the possible death of acquaintances or colleagues.
Following the session, Career Services will provide numbers for students to use to contact former employers, most notably Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, who operated offices on many floors in the two towers.
For those whose feelings about the situation are still confusing, CAPS will continue to hold debriefing sessions in a group setting.
