Remembering

As the nation marked the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, I spent no little time reflecting back upon that day and what it was like to be on our campus as this horror played out in real time. Before doing so, I would first like to recognize a former student of mine from my time at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Scott Rohner (http://www.legacy.com/sept11/Story.aspx?PersonID=94827&location=1), whose life was cut short on that fateful day. I will forever remember his vivacious spirit, his intellect, and his magnetic smile. Rest in peace my friend. I recall vividly the events of that day and think back with tremendous pride on the way our campus community came together in support of one another. The day began like any other, with me dropping my daughter off at the Child Development Center. The equilibrium of the day shifted dramatically and quickly thereafter. When the first plane flew into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 AM I had just settled into my office in the old campus apartment complex. Quickly, faculty, staff, and students gathered around a small television set in the department office to watch the unfolding events. All gasped in horror at what they were seeing, and many turned away after the second plane flew into the South Tower just seventeen minutes later. There was nary a dry eye among us. The broader campus was quickly enveloped in an ominous silence and sense of foreboding and the anxiety felt by many of our students, faculty, and staff, especially those from the local Arab community, was palpable. In spite of the horror and confusion playing out in New York, in Washington DC, and in the skies above Pennsylvania, and the anger and finger pointing that quickly began to manifest across the country and, more notably, just beyond the boundaries of our campus (Dearborn’s Arab community quickly became the target of violence and hateful, ignorant, acts), the University of Michigan-Dearborn remained calm and united in its determination to offer a place of refuge, tolerance, and comfort for our students, faculty, staff and extended a supportive embrace to the local community. While many local businesses and schools closed in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, university leadership determined to remain open and to continue to promote the campus message of inclusiveness. It was inspiring to wander the campus and hear faculty and students engaged in emotional conversations about what was happening in their classrooms and to see everyone taking extra steps to make sure that everyone that they encountered feel safe and welcome. The day really showcased the very best of our campus and it made me incredibly proud of my alma mater. While the world has changed in many ways since that day and our lives will never be quite the same, I know that one thing has remained constant—that our beloved university remains a place of opportunity and that all are welcome here! I wish you all peace and contentment.