The tragedies of Sept. 11 have touched us all in profound ways. We have dedicated this issue of Richmond Alumni Magazine to examining how this grave incident has affected our University and its graduates. I remain very grateful to serve the University community, one that has come together in inspiring ways in these recent days.

A number of our alumni were present at ground zero in New York and Washington. We include a few of their stories here, giving examples of University of Richmond graduates who emerged as leaders during the crisis. Sadly, we lost four alumni and several others close to the University family, and we remember them in these pages.

I also wanted to share with you how proud I am of the way our students have responded during these difficult days. Earlier this year I read a fascinating book, Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation, which chronicles the character and culture of today’s college-aged population. Its authors describe young people who are engaged, optimistic and focused on our wider community.

I can tell you from first-hand experience here on the Richmond campus that the authors could not have been more on target with their description. Add to the anxieties produced by Sept. 11 a significant distance from home and treasured loved ones, and you have the situation faced by most of our undergraduates. Throughout this ordeal, our students have shown tremendous resolve.

They supported one another and extended helping hands to those experiencing the anguish of uncertainty regarding their family members and friends’ whereabouts. When one of our first-year students, Brian Deming, lost his father in the World Trade Center disaster, he received constant comfort from new and old friends, as well as care from our staff, before he left to be with his family.

This has been a period of profound sadness on campus, but also a time in which our students’ spirit and sense of compassion have given us strength. Immediately following this tragedy, numerous student organizations began organizing fund-raising drives to help the victims, donating blood and lending comfort to their peers. These were selfless acts in trying times.

On a recent trip to New York City to visit with alumni, I caught my first glimpse of ground zero in the distance. I vividly recall seeing, amid the clouds, beams of sunlight that suddenly highlighted the area where the World Trade Center once stood. On our campus, beams of light have been generated by our students. In the aftermath of this tragedy, we can rest assured that the future of our great country is in the hands of thoughtful, caring young people who are striving to make a difference.