Inspire, Winter 2001

From the Director’s Chair S o many times I have heard, “I’ll never forget where I was when John F. Kennedy was shot.” I didn’t really understand what that was like until Tuesday, September 11, 2001. Sitting in a day-long University division meeting with 60 of my co-workers, I’ll never forget where I was when the United States was attacked by terrorists in the most horrific display since Pearl Harbor. Needless to say, our day-long meeting was quickly curtailed as we gathered around television sets throughout the Stevens Student Center. Because the production services people of CDR Radio are part of our division, we soon had CNN being broadcast on the large screen in our conference room. We watched, mouths hanging open in disbelief, as the World Trade Center towers collapsed and the Pentagon burned. When faced with something this dreadful, one wants to be in contact with family. I called my parents in North Carolina the morning of September 11 and actually broke the news to my father, who had been working outside all morning. However, with no family closer than 450 miles, a new realization struck me. There was no place that I would have rather been than with my “family” of co-workers here at Cedarville University. We talk a lot about family here at Cedarville, but there are certain times that the truth of that concept becomes reality. On September 11, we cried together and prayed together as a family all around campus. The few students that were here early for the school year quickly organized a prayer time and wanted to pray specifically for the University family. They asked for a list of alumni in the New York City and Washington, D.C. areas. The family network began to operate. We called alumni we knew who might be affected: alumni living in those areas, alumni who fly a lot, alumni in the military. Alumni called us to find out about their friends. E-mails were received with first-hand accounts. Never have I felt more a part of Cedarville’s big picture—a family of believers with a common history and common vision. This issue of Inspire was scheduled to reflect the University’s theme for this academic year, “Transforming Culture with Christlike Compassion,” and we had many wonderful stories submitted. However, as one alumnus wrote in an e-mail, “Obviously, the ultimate story idea is any connection between the WTC/Pentagon disaster and our alumni family as well as any stories depicting God’s hand in thwarting the enemy’s plan.” There was that word again—“family.” There is a reason that the alumni Web site is located on the Cedarville University home page under “Cedarville Family.” Your family connection with Cedarville does not change simply because you leave campus. You are always going to be a part of this family. And we are concerned about one another, we rejoice together, and we sorrow together. Although I don’t have a brother, cousin, or aunt directly affected by the events of September 11, 2001, I still have many University family members who were. I want to share their stories with you and ask you to uphold one another in prayer as this new chapter in history continues to unfold. We had alumni in the Pentagon, across the street from the World Trade Center towers, in the clean-up and rescue efforts, and now have alumni serving on the front lines in the military. Many names have already been listed on our Virtual Wall of Prayer at www.cedarville.edu/cf/prayer/wallofprayer.cfm , and I’m sure there will be many more. Thank you for sharing your stories. Thank you for supporting one another in prayer. Thank you for being family. Faith Linn ’83 Director of Alumni Relations Inspire 3