The 75 - A Tribute to my Alma Mater

I didn't really want to go to Marshall. I knew it was a good school, but I grew up in a small town and Marshall was the nearest public university. That meant many of my high school classmates went there. I was ready to set out on my own, and going to the same place as my friends didn't feel like setting out. 

I'm pragmatic, however, and after some campus tours and looking at a budget, it was clear Marshall was the best choice. Plus, I planned to study journalism, and the journalism school at Marshall is excellent. So in August of 1997 I packed up my little Saturn and headed about an hour and a half to Huntington where I would spend the next four years. Those were some of the happiest of my life, and came away with a great education, lifelong friends, a much wider perspective, and a solid start to my career. It might not have been where I imagined myself going, but I am incredibly thankful it's where I found myself. 

In the heart of the campus is the Memorial Fountain, an iconic and beautiful sculpture honoring the victims of the 1970 plane crash that killed 75 people - most of the football team, coaches, fans, and crew. Every year on the anniversary of the accident, the fountain is turned off for the winter as part of a memorial service. The university does a wonderful job of honoring their memory, and the strength of the community in the aftermath of the event. If you haven't seen We Are Marshall, it's certainly worth the watch. 

As a tribute to a place that helped shape me, to those 75 lives who are still honored each year, and to the fans of a school with a beautiful story, we printed up The 75.