The start of a new academic year is a very special time on a college campus. Under normal circumstances, the first day of classes would be cause for celebration as we greet old friends, meet new ones and share in the great expectations of a new school year filled with opportunities to grow and to discover new wonders of the universe.

But these are not normal circumstances. After experiencing the shocking and tragic events of last week, we face new realities about our nation and the world.

Some Ohio State students were affected directly and personally by the tragedies. They have family, friends and loved ones who may be injured, killed or missing. Our hearts and our prayers are with them.

I hope many of you will join me this evening on the Oval for a candlelight vigil to show our support for these individuals and for the families of all the thousands of victims and survivors.

Throughout this past horrific week, we all witnessed images that will haunt us forever. The people of this community — and of communities everywhere — rallied together with a remarkable sense of unity, compassion and mutual respect and appreciation. Our community spirit on this campus and across the nation has rarely, if ever, been stronger.

Those feelings of genuine respect and fellowship have always been inside us. Why is it that it takes such a devastating tragedy to draw these qualities from us? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if out of the ashes of the destroyed buildings and the destroyed lives could blossom a new spirit in our nation; a spirit of self-sacrifice to help our neighbors and a spirit of commitment to make a positive and lasting impact in our community and the world?

I hope that we can also remember and carry forward the unconditional compassion and concern that we felt at the time of the tragedy.

Last Tuesday morning, our sole concern was for our fellow human beings who were in harm’s way — race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, none of these things mattered. The brave souls who rushed to the rescue were African Americans, Hispanics, whites, men, women, gays, Christians, Jews and Muslims. Did it matter to anyone what “type” of person was helping them escape through the smoke and darkness of a skyscraper about to collapse?

Can we learn from this experience to better understand and accept how insignificant our differences are? If such differences don’t matter at the very moment of a great national crisis and trauma, why should they matter in the more mundane, everyday business in our lives?

We at Ohio State can learn from this tragedy and we can make this community a better place — a place where all individuals are valued for their contributions.

In times like these, it is absolutely essential that our actions and our words reflect the essence of our university community — that we practice tolerance, understanding and empathy. We must not make assumptions and judgments based on anyone’s ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation or religion. At OSU, we must cherish our diversity and build a community that is open, welcoming and filled with opportunities for all.

I am confident that we are up to this challenge and I call upon each member of OSU community to join me in this most essential responsibility.

Today, as we begin a new academic year, we have an obligation as a community and as individuals to take actions to nurture and spread this wonderful spirit of compassion that has united us.

I hope that each of us will stand up to this tragedy with a renewed resolve to gain the knowledge, the experience and the inspiration to help build a brighter future for our nation and the world.

William E. Kirwan is the President of The Ohio State University. He wishes to invite everyone to join him this evening for a candlelight vigil on the Oval.