Whitley unites with 9/11 tribute

Eight years later, the tragedy that knocked our nation to its knees on Sept. 11, 2001 still remains in many minds.

Now that the rubble has been swept away, our nation continues to remember the souls of the men and women lost on that day. All across the country, a number of ceremonies are held in the day of remembrance, from freedom walks to local memorials.

At Texas A&M University-Commerce, Whitley Hall comes together as a unit to recognize and remember the fallen heroes.

In 2001, Whitley began a program that has become an annual tradition on campus called "Let's Light Up Whitley."

This program involves joint participation from all 340 residents, using the lights in the dorm rooms to spell out the letters USA on the front and back of the building. The display will be visible from 8:30 to 9:15 Friday night.

"Residents are instructed ahead of time to let them know if their lights are to be on or off during the program," said Jessica Gomez.

Whitley being the largest building on campus, the display will be visible for miles.

"The entire resident community has to participate in order to make the program a great success," said Gomez.

Not only is the event intended to be a display of patriotism and remembrance, but also a time for everyone to reflect on the events on Sept. 11.

"Anyone who attends can give them a chance to discuss with others about where they were when it happened and how they were affected by it," journalism major Candace Foots said. "A lot of us began talking about how long of a time it has been since it happened, and many of our residents were in the fourth or fifth grade, while some of us were in the seventh or eighth grade."

With events like "Let's Light Up Whitley," Sept. 11 is a day that will continue to be remembered.