There is much change coming to the picturesque campus of Goshen College. Every tree has a brilliant array of color from the autumn leaves. The breeze that is caught between the buildings blows the branches of the trees in a soothing rhythmic fashion.
Today, on the schools first day back since the death of 58-year old Biology professor Dr. James Miller, the change that his loss brings to campus is felt as well.
"He was just a really really nice guy. Just a genuinely nice person," said Mirian Gross a junior at Goshen College.
Vasti Rosdo, a sophomore at GC, spent the entire summer as Dr. Miller's neighbor. "It's just so puzzling. You can't really sink it in that a person you knew is now gone forever. It's just like, how can it happen? Why him? He was just such a brilliant professor."
Outside the Schrock Science Annex building, where Dr. Miller taught his classes, remnants of dried wax, leftover from yesterdays memorial vigil, coat the pavement. Inside, Dr. Miller's laboratory, where a majority of his work was done has an emptiness that surrounds it. The shock has not yet sunk in.
"It's definitely a loss. He really did care about his students, about their learning and about them," said Anita Stalter.
Stalter was a 25-year colleague of Dr. Miller. Today, she stood in on his classes, giving the students a chance to remember their beloved professor, a chance to talk, and to cry.
"The situation itself is so hard to comprehend that there's just a lot of bewilderment. A lot of sadness."
Throughout the campus there are banners that recite what Goshen College stands for. Banners that phrase motto's like "Making peace with science" or "Making peace with research". President of Goshen College, Dr. James Brenneman, would agree that the banner reading "Making peace with faith" is the foundation that will get the community through this tragic time.
"We're left grasping and holding on to those values that we hold dearly. And they come through at times like these."
Goshen Police are still investigating the scene and do not have a suspect at this time. They are advising the public, as always to take precautionary measures like locking doors, not walking alone at night, and reporting any suspicious behavior.
