‘Northwood Unity’ initiative will educate, remember, honor, and express gratitude for first responders, military members, veterans, and Gold Star families.
Northwood University will bring its campus and surrounding community together this fall through Northwood Unity, a comprehensive initiative commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Through educational programs, reflective experiences and public events, Northwood Unity will honor those who lost their lives, recognize the courage and sacrifice displayed in response to the attacks, and thank the first responders and military personnel who continue to serve.
“Most of today’s college students were born after September 11, 2001, yet the responsibility to preserve the freedoms tested that day now rests with their generation,” said Northwood University President Kent MacDonald. “At Northwood, we believe leadership begins with character, service, and a commitment to something greater than ourselves. Northwood Unity will honor those who sacrificed, inspire our students to carry their legacy forward, and remind us that the future of our nation depends not only on what we remember, but on how we choose to lead.”
Northwood Unity is organized around three goals: educating participants about Sept. 11 and its continuing global impact; remembering and honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve human life and freedom; and expressing gratitude to current first responders and military personnel for their service.
Reflection Began in Spring
Northwood Unity began during the Spring 2026 semester with a Remembering Through Reflection exercise that invited students, faculty and staff to respond to the iconic image of first responders raising the American flag amid the rubble of the World Trade Center.
Participants submitted poems, essays, prayers, videos and other reflections. Professor Dave Marsh, who chairs Northwood’s Sport Management and Esport Management degree programs, was selected for his poem, “Never Forget.” Student Marisa Henrie was recognized for a video reflection, and student Corday Clayton was selected for his poem, “We the Connected People of America.”
The three winners were invited to participate in a staff-led visit to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City from July 24-27. They will share their experiences during a Soup and Substance program Sept. 9 at Northwood.
“Northwood Unity is about far more than recalling a date in history,” stated Dean of Student Affairs Andy Cripe, who is leading the initiative. “It is an opportunity to help our students understand the humanity behind the events of Sept. 11 — the lives that were lost, the courage of those who ran toward danger and the unity that emerged in the days that followed. We hope each experience encourages participants to consider how they can make a difference by serving others, strengthening their communities and responding courageously when they are needed.”
‘The Red Bandanna’ Connects Students to a Legacy of Service
Northwood’s Fall 2026 Omniquest selection, “The Red Bandanna: A Life. A Choice. A Legacy.” by Tom Rinaldi, will provide an academic and personal foundation for the initiative.
Omniquest brings students, faculty and staff together through books that encourage discussion and reflection while advancing Northwood’s guiding institutional philosophy, The Northwood Idea. “The Red Bandanna” book recounts the life and final actions of Welles Crowther, a young equities trader and volunteer firefighter who worked on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center’s South Tower. Survivors described how a man wearing a red bandanna repeatedly guided people to safety before returning upstairs to help others. Crowther lost his life during the rescue efforts.
New students will receive copies of the book through Northwood’s NU Book Pack program. During Welcome Weekend, they will also receive NU-branded red bandannas and will be encouraged to wear them at a special Red Bandanna Game on Sept. 3. NU Men’s Soccer will take on Davenport University at 6 p.m.
Week of Remembrance Open to Campus and Community
Northwood will host several events during the week leading up to the anniversary:
Sept. 8: Documentary screenings from 7 to 10 p.m. in Griswold Lecture Hall.
Sept. 9: Remembering Through Reflection winners will discuss their visit to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum during a special Soup and Substance event from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Four Seasons Space.
Sept. 10: Dr. Scott N. Warner will share his testimony as a Gold Star father from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Griswold Lecture Hall. His son, Private Heath Warner, was killed in Iraq in 2006.
Sept. 11: Students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members will be invited to participate in a daylong Silent Memorial Walk Experience at Hantz Stadium. The free public event is being implemented in partnership with the Great Lakes Bay Veterans Coalition.
A life-size memorial installation near the stadium will represent the footprints of the Twin Towers, Pentagon and four aircraft involved in the attacks. It will also include memorial markers, twin beams of light, an American flag display and educational exhibits.
Beginning at 7:59 a.m., participants may walk 2,977 steps — approximately 1.5 miles around the Hantz Stadium track — in remembrance of those killed in the attacks. An optional 343-step stair climb will honor the New York City firefighters who died that day.
The experience will remain silent and reverent. Cannon blasts will mark significant moments from the morning of Sept. 11, including when the towers were struck and fell, the attack on the Pentagon and the crash of Flight 93. Following the final cannon blast at 10:28 a.m., taps will be played. The walking memorial will continue until sunset, and the installation will remain available throughout the weekend for reflection.
Also on Sept. 11, 2026, Northwood will host a community blood drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Hach Student Life Center, located within the Bennett Sports Complex.
Sept. 12 Heroes Day to Celebrate Service and Sacrifice
Northwood Unity will continue Sept. 12 with Heroes Day during Northwood’s noon football game against Saginaw Valley State University at Hantz Stadium.
First responders, military members, veterans and Gold Star families will receive complimentary admission, commemorative gifts and special recognition. A garrison flag provided by the Great Lakes Bay Veterans Coalition will be displayed, and the memorial installation behind Hantz Stadium will remain open for reflection.
“If Sept. 11 reminds us of what our nation lost, Sept. 12 reminds us of the courage, compassion and unity Americans showed in response,” Cripe said. “Heroes Day allows us to carry that spirit forward by recognizing the people who continue to protect, serve and sacrifice for their communities and their country.”
Registration for Heroes Day is available at community.northwood.edu/e/heroes-football-game-registration/. Additional information about Northwood Unity events will be shared at northwood.edu and through Northwood University’s social media channels. Questions? Email .
