Nowadays, our generation is used to seeing any news on terrorism or disaster.

I was 12-years-old when 9/11 happened and 16 when hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast.

What I remember about those events most is that everyone I knew were in front of their televisions following every single news lead and details that unraveled.

I really believed those sorts of disasters could only occur a few times within a person’s life span. But what concerns me now is that doesn’t seem true for our generation.

Putting those past events aside, what we have seen in last few months I found quite unbelievable. Many more large disasters have been occurring. They came one after another, the earthquake in Haiti, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Tsunami in Japan, the earthquake in China, the huge landslides in Brazil. They are still fresh in our generations’ mind.

Even here in the US, we have recently seen events, which were certainly very devastating. We witnessed tornadoes and floods blowing devastating many places in the South and Midwest this spring. It was more than overwhelming.

The attention of university students like me is not always bounded to the academic work. We are often concerned on the happenings around the world, too. Even though, many choose to ignore world events in media.

But beyond those sources, a majority of current students are likely to have access to various social media, which would let them be up to date about the current disasters.

I feel no different than any other students in saying I wish we didn’t have to see as many disaster as we did. But one fact I am really grateful for and proud of is that students have always stepped up in an admirable way in times of disasters.

For the last several years, I have seen students volunteer at ground zero for the 9/11 anniversary to offer solace to survivors.

Also, I have seen a high number of students’ participation from around the nation during the aftermath period of Hurricane in New Orleans. Students were very actively volunteering. Even as days, weeks and months passed by.

Generally speaking, disaster times have always been stressful for all of us around the globe.

One example last month is when the Louisiana State University newspaper, The Daily Reveille, with collaboration of LSU student organizations helped with “Tigers for the Tide” relief effort. The effort was to contribute necessities to those in need affected after a devastating tornado touched down in Alabama.

LSU shipped more than 50 boxes of donated items to University of Alabama. Once  there, the goods were transported to the affected location.

Many student volunteers could describe sorting and boxing of those donated items as a long, hard and difficult task to complete. But all their hard work, determination and willingness to volunteer have made a difference.

Nothing in the news makes me happier than when I see a large number of selfless volunteers ready to serve on those crisis areas.

Moreover, the number of emergency management programs in higher education has gone up from 70, in 2001, to around the current number of 230, according to The New York Times.

Many universities around the country are experiencing increased enrollment in majors like disaster science, emergency preparedness, public safety administration, hazard policy and humanitarian action.

To me, it seems quite clear students are concerned about disaster situations, wherever they may be. And they appear they are ready to step-up to help deal with aftermath.

Email: