will welcome thinkers in distress or in exile ...

President George W. Bush’s call for a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance on Sept. 14 gave new meaning to UM’s commitment to diversity and its sense of community. Thousands of students, faculty, staff and community members congregated on the University’s Oval to remember the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. “This is not a day for speeches,” President Dennison told the crowd. “This is a day to come together in our strength and unity for those who suffer ....” People with heads bowed listened in solemn silence as Main Hall’s bell tolled. An American Indian prayer by Rob Collier, a Nez Perce tribal member, asked for what many present were seeking that day: “Bring us light, peace and understanding of things we cannot fathom.” A biweekly convocation series hosted by the University followed, giving campus and community members opportunities to consider the origins of the attacks and to examine the nation’s response as it unfolded.