The campus and community remembered the events of 9/11 with a symbolic flag display, afternoon speakers and evening vigil.

A Joint Effort

ULM’s College Republicans and the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority collaborated to host the first 9/11 Never Forget Project to allow campus to join and to remember the historic day’s events.

Students placed 2,977 flags in the quad the night before the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.  Each flag symbolized a person who died on 9/11.

Never Forget

Sierra Lovell, a sophomore political science major, is the president of ULM’s College Republicans. Lovell welcomed guests and speakers.

“The 9/11 Never Forget Project was so awesome to have on our campus because it gave us a chance to bring students together to remember all of the lives lost on 9/11,” Lovell said.

Lovell also said the university was fortunate to have retired Air Force Colonel Rob Maness speak about his experience in the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

“He gave us all a little insight on how surreal it was,” Lovell said.

Living the Crisis

Maness is a Republican candidate in the U.S. Senate race in Louisiana against Democratic incumbent Mary Landrieu.

Maness remembered heading into the Pentagon for work and noticing children with their mothers.  Maness stayed to help with rescue efforts of the countless injured.

Maness recounted the efforts of those who stopped and endangered themselves to help the injured.  Maness watched military personnel and civilians work together as one to give aid.

“That’s what I saw that day, Americans,” Maness said.

Remembering the Lost

Though Maness said it was a “devastating day for someone who had been in uniform,” he called it a “wondrous day” because of how people responded.

Maness’ remarks were followed by a moment of silence for the victims of 9/11 and a symbolic release of red, white and blue balloons.

Jil Dasher, wife of Congressional candidate Zach Dasher, also spoke about the importance of remembering the 9/11 attacks and the American resolve.

A Solemn Vigil

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, also held an evening vigil on Thursday to pay tribute to those who lost their lives that day.

A brief introduction was followed by prayer, the national anthem and a moment of silence as students lit candles.

Malykah Bell, a senior nursing student, said she sympathized with affected families because she has family in New York and could have been directly impacted by the attacks.

Bell said her family was not hurt in the attacks, but it saddens her to think of the families who lost loved ones.

Trying to Understand

“They’re affected by this every year because it was really tragic,” Bell said.

Bell remembered hearing an announcement over the intercom in her third grade classroom, but she said she was too young to know what happened.

She better understood the events of 9/11 as she got older.

Jo’ Hilliard, a junior nursing student, said the vigil allowed students to pay tribute.

This is the second annual vigil that the sorority has hosted.

Hilliard said the vigil meant paying tribute to the country, the innocent Americans who died and the families who lost loved ones that day that must reflect on their loss every single year.

“It is history. It’s going to carry on. It’s going to be in the history books,” Hilliard said.