Mary Baldwin College students rallied in support of Trayvon Martin Thursday on campus in Staunton.

George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain, said he shot Martin in self-defense last month.

Martin's family said that's not the case.

At least 100 students headed out to Thursday's rally.

They said they felt students needed a chance to respond to Martin's death and to speak out from the Valley in solidarity.

Mary Baldwin Junior Tiara Hines united students at the campus rally and said the Martin family's story hits close to home.

"This story really touched me," Hines said. "Stories like this really touch me. To know that a plethora of Mary Baldwin students, Mary Baldwin sisters, feel the exact same way as me, it really not only touched my heart, but gives me a little bit of hope, for, not only our campus, but the surrounding areas that each of these students touch."

About 100 students attended the rally, where leaders spoke about civil rights, racial profiling and injustice.

Junior Elizabeth Limerick wishes the civil rights issue could end without any more violence.

"Everybody's the same, I guess. I don't even understand why it's still an issue," Limerick said. "Why, because he was just a 17-year-old black boy in a neighborhood, did that George Zimmerman just assume that he's up to no good?"

Students wondered the same thing and hope their message will reach the Martin family in Florida.

They hope that message will start a conversation on campus and in the Valley.

"Even in a small town that's miles and miles away, hours away from them, to know that they have support and people that are here to just send a prayer to them, it's got to be comforting," Hines said.

Students prayed for everyone involved in Martin's death and hope justice will be served.

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