By Joe Camacho
At that time, Ferrier was the executive director of City Year, a volunteer organization located then just outside of Lackland Air Force Base.
Ferrier recounts that traffic was backed up in and around Lackland AFB that day. Highway 90 was gridlocked and people remained stuck in their vehicles for hours. A group of her City Year volunteers handed out snacks and bottled water, donated by HEB, to people stuck in the traffic.
Shirley Martinez, Ferrier’s best friend, was on her second day of work at the Pentagon on 9/11. It took two full days for Ferrier to hear from Martinez.
Martinez explained to Ferrier that she was escorted out of her office by security and described to her scenes of chaos as people were running and screaming amidst the smoky ruins at the Pentagon.
“There was a childcare center that was close by,” Ferrier says, recalling Martinez’ story. Ferrier says that Martinez, along with other people at the Pentagon, immediately went to the childcare center to evacuate the children from the building.
Ferrier said she remains proud of those who have upheld American liberties and put their lives on the line so that the citizens of the United States can have a safer country to live in.
“Texas A&M-San Antonio is not only military friendly, but military embracing,” Ferrier says proudly.
Amidst the tragedy on Sept. 11, 2001, Ferrier recalls witnessing a heightened level of patriotism and a strong sense of unity in the American People. She describes how, at that time, U.S. Congress set aside politics and joined together as they sang, “God Bless America.”
“Wouldn’t it be wonderful if on this tenth anniversary, [if] we would reunite as a country and remind ourselves what we stood for on that day?” Ferrier asks.
Sitting in her spacious office in A&M-San Antonio’s Main Building, which opened in late August, Ferrier says that she is proud that the university is closely bonded with armed forces veterans, and initiatives are already in the works to enhance the quality of the veterans’ experience at the university.
President Ferrier says she will commemorate 9/11 by participating in upcoming commemoration events, and will address the issue to A&M-San Antonio students and faculty in a presidential letter in remembrance of a day that, “we should never forget.”
