Students circle in a moment of silence and interfaith prayer before running one mile in honor of Boston victims. (Rebecca Keay / The Daily Campus)

In honor of the victims and survivors of the Boston Marathon explosions on April 15, the SMU Sikh Students Association held a run of solidarity and support Wednesday night around Bishop Boulevard.

“Across the nation the Surat Fauj Running Club, a Sikh running club, was hosting events like this as a way of healing and I felt that we should bring it to SMU,” said SSA member Parminder Deo, who organized the event with SMU alumnus Priyanka Kaur Hooghan.

“The Boston Marathon bombings actually hit close to home with two SMU professors having been at the marathon. Professor Diana Grumbles and professor Katherine Engel finished the run just minutes before the bombings. I feel the event will help to build community and serve as a healing effort,” Deo said.

 The run, which began under the flagpole with a moment of silence and an interfaith prayer, looped one and a half times around Bishop Boulevard, ending in front of the Meadows Museum.

“It’s important to show unity,” said SMU student Tyler Anderson. “We need to support Boston and the national spirit.”

With just over 48 hours of publicity, the run, which was publicized on Facebook, drew students from SMU and from the Baylor Dental School, whose campus is in Dallas.

“We need to show our support as a collective,” said Baylor Dental student Rachel Lowry.

The Sikh Students Association presented a banner just before the run began.

The banner read: “Stand against senseless violence. Stay committed as strong, proud Americans. Stand together in a moment of crisis.”