Landmarks of 4 years shaped experience for senior class

The class of 2005 had just entered the University when the destruction of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, shocked the campus and the nation.

“It’s the first memory of the class — it’s something that’s identifiable to all of us as the first thing that happened here,” said Daniel McCullough, a senior history major.

“I went and got a cup of coffee at the Daily Grind, and I heard something about the Pentagon,” he said. “There’s usually some kind of funky music playing there, but that day the radio was on NPR.”

Jacqueline Elliott, a senior communication studies major, was in class when the attacks occurred. “When I came out of class, everyone was just standing around, and then you go into the Union and all the TVs are on it,” she said. “It was kind of surreal.”

The senior class voted to present a Sept. 11 memorial garden to the University as its class gift. David Ruskey, the class’s chief marshal, said he believes the attacks’ timing contributed to the choice.

“I feel like it definitely had an effect on the decision. A lot of seniors feel a really personal connection to (the events),” he said. “It’s something that drastically marks my memories of my freshman year. … It was a very formative event for everyone. And the 9/11 memorial garden is a very tangible thing.”

The garden will honor the six UNC alumni killed during the attacks.

Sept. 11, and the subsequent military action in Iraq, also have contributed to what seniors said were a politically charged four years at UNC.

Ruskey remembered worrying about the possible reinstatement of the draft.

“That was a lot of talk about that my whole four years here,” he said. “It was definitely something everyone was talking about.”

McCullough wasn’t politically involved, but he said he was glad others were.

“It made me feel that it was an active campus. Carolina doesn’t just sit passively and watch things go by; there’s a lot of opinion and good controversy here.”

This year’s seniors also saw other, less sobering milestones, including the women’s soccer team’s NCAA championship in 2003.

Most notable for this year’s seniors, however, has been the UNC men’s basketball team. The now-infamous 8-20 season in 2001-02 introduced the seniors to men’s basketball at UNC, but this year’s title brought the team — and the fans — full circle.

“I remember going whenever I wanted to get tickets my freshman year, and then this year being about 10,000 off (the ticket lottery’s magic number),” McCullough said.

“I don’t think they even gave out 10,000 bracelets my freshman year. When we came in, the team wasn’t very good, but we were energetic and hopeful, and so were they, and now here we are.”

Elliott remembers attending a game against Duke her first year, something unheard of for this year’s freshman class.

“It’s great to have a national championship this year and be proud of UNC athletics and for everyone in the country to know that,” she said.

Ruskey said the national title was a long time coming.

“Our freshman year wasn’t that good, then sophomore year we bombed,” Ruskey said. “Everyone was always saying ‘wait till our senior year, wait till our senior year,’ and then — well, they were right.”

“A national championship in your senior year — well, you just feel like you’re the special year,” McCullough said.

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