Before the sun peeked over the rim of Memorial Stadium, more than 200 ROTC cadets, midshipmen, and Lincoln first responders moved quietly through the stands — no fanfare, no crowd, just the sound of footsteps on concrete, steady breathing, and the occasional word of encouragement.
Together, they climbed 2,071 stairs in solemn tribute to the first responders who ascended the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001.
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s annual 9/11 observance included remarks by Gabrielle Martinez, a midshipman and nutritional science and dietetics major, as well as a milestone moment: a contracting ceremony for Army ROTC Cadet Emma White.
White, a junior business administration major from Arvada, Colorado, formally pledged her commitment to serve by taking the contracting oath — a symbolic step in her journey toward becoming a commissioned officer.
“I waited a long time to contract,” White said. “I started my medical process freshman year, and there weren’t scholarships available last year. But I realized it wasn’t about the money. It was about the commitment to serve.
“When this opportunity came up to contract during the 9/11 Stair Climb, it just felt right.”
For White, the ceremony was not just about hitting a program milestone — it was personal. Though not yet born on Sept. 11, 2001, her connection to the event runs deep.
“My uncle was a Marine at the time, and hearing how it impacted him and the people around him has stuck with me,” she said. “I’m an empathetic person, and I thought about those lives the entire time we were climbing today.”
This year marked the first time a contracting ceremony was held during the university’s stair climb event. It was a powerful addition, said senior cadet and psychology major Alyssa Batista, who completed her third 9/11 climb this year.
“We usually get to pick where we contract, and I think this is just a perfect atmosphere for it,” Batista said. “Just what this run represents, and everyone doing it collectively — it’s all a joy and effort. It’s not just Army, it’s not just Air Force. We’re all doing it together. It really means something special.”
For White, the support she’s received in ROTC has helped her find her footing in a field that can often feel intimidating, especially for women.
“Honestly, I joined ROTC with some fear,” White said. “The military is such a male-dominated space, and I didn’t know if I’d fit in. But the men in this program have lifted me up, and I’ve learned so much from them. I want to inspire young women who might be scared to take this path — to show them it is possible.”
White will serve in the National Guard while finishing her degree, with plans to go active duty after graduation. She hopes to become either a military intelligence officer or a logistics officer — but says she’s open to wherever the Army needs her most.
“I’ve never been someone who knew exactly what I wanted to do,” she said. “But I know I want to help people, and I’m ready to go where I’m needed.”
This was White’s third year participating in the stair climb, and even with the emotional weight and physical challenge, she said the experience never gets easier — and that’s part of what makes it meaningful.
“Every time I think it’s harder than the last,” White said. “But maybe that’s the point. We’re supposed to feel it. We’re supposed to remember.”
9/11 Memorial speech
By Gabrielle Martinez, midshipman, Navy ROTC
Twenty-four years ago today, 19 individuals boarded four airplanes with the deliberate intent of shaking America to her core and destroying the lives of as many people as possible.
On that fateful morning 2,977 people lost their lives in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
What was a quiet morning turned into one of the darkest days in American history, over the deafening noise of the sirens was the unbearable silence of mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters, friends and colleagues, all who were taken too soon by senseless violence and hatred.
It is important today that we do not shy away from the sadness but that we remember these souls. That we remember the firefighters, the police officers, the paramedics, and the ordinary citizens, all who were brave enough to not run from the carnage that morning but towards it and offer any help that they could.
This morning, in memory of all souls lost in these senseless attacks we will be climbing 2,071 steps, the number of steps it would take to make it to the top of the World Trade Center that morning. This isn’t an easy task, but it's not supposed to be, each step is in honor of a mother or father that couldn’t go home that evening to their children, a son or daughter that never had the opportunity to grow old, a first responder who bravely ran up, while others ran down. I urge you to carry that burden and the gravity of this event with you this morning.
Huskers remember
Jean Delgado, a Lincoln resident and U.S. Marines veteran, runs by two Lincoln Fire and Rescue members on the stairs in the north stadium. This is the second year Delgado has done the stair climb in commemoration of Sept. 11, 2001.Liz McCue | University Communication and Marketing
Navy ROTC members gather on the field in Memorial Stadium along with U.S. military representatives, veterans and first responders on Sept. 11 to run up 2,071 stairs in remembrance of 9/11.
A midshipman's shadow reflects him catching his breath between running up and down staircases in Memorial Stadium.
Joe Brownell, director of military and veteran success at UNL, smiles while running down the stairs in the East Stadium.
Navy ROTC members chat after running 2,071 stairs in Memorial Stadium in commemoration of Sept. 11, 2001 as members of the marching band enter the field for morning rehearsal.
Army ROTC members take photos of Max Holmstrom, Colten Stevens and Luke Ratjen after the three friends collapsed in a pile on the field in Memorial Stadium.
