Welcome to the 21st century at Ohio University - where technology connects professors with students, where weekends start Thursday night and continue through Sunday and where a student body of 20,000 finds the strength to support each other in times of national crisis. At OU, the dawning of yet another decade brought a new provost, computers in every residence hall room, an updated movie theater and a multitude of other revolutionary changes.
Julie Mann, a 2002 graduate, double-majored in management information systems and finance during her four years at OU.
Laurie Klamo, '02, is one of Mann's current roommates who also calls OU her alma mater.
While Klamo spent her weekends at Lucky's, Cat's Eye and The Pub listening to Outkast and the Lucky's juke box, Mann divided her time between CI and The Junction.
At The Junction
everybody can just hang out and have a good time. The weekends always started Thursday and it was always The Junction she said, recalling the popularity of boy bands, Janet Jackson and Nelly.
The Pita Pit, Burrito Buggy and The Bakery, which was in GoodFella's Court Street location, were popular places to eat.
At the beginning of the 2001-2002 school year, students were jolted into looking at the world outside of Athens.
The morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Julie Mann went for a jog. When she returned, her roommate told her a plane had hit one of the Twin Towers. I didn't think much of it at first
she said. So, she went on to her Copeland classes and found people gathered around the TV. They officially shut down the campus
and there was a memorial service at Templeton
she said.
There was lot of anxiety around. Everyone was excited to be back
but we were surprised
Klamo said. OU is like its own world
but this really was a shock.
Forty-year-old Megyen Green began taking classes at OU's Zanesville campus four years ago. After managing a Cape Cod fish market for 20 years, the southeast Ohio native decided to go back to school. She will graduate this spring with a bachelor's degree in health and fitness.
They say everyone always comes back to their roots. I've thoroughly enjoyed (my time at OU) - I love learning
she said.
OU alumna Lisa Schymanski-Thomas, a 2001 graduate, remembered Palmerfest '00, when Palmer Street residents built a stage in the yard and welcomed OAR and Red Wanting Blue.
She also remembered sledding down Jeff Hill once cars were no longer allowed to drive over its crooked bricks.
It's just something you have to do. It gets you one step closer to graduation.
