The Civic STATE

This special episode of The Civic State remembers the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, with two firsthand witnesses: NPR producer J.J. Sutherland and former FBI counterterrorism agent John Richards. Recorded following a public panel held on South Dakota State University's campus on Sept. 11, 2026, they recount vivid memories of that day and the immediate response to the attacks.

The conversation explores how Americans and institutions reacted in the days and months that followed, how journalism and security changed and what moments of crisis reveal about civic life as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary.

Content warning: This episode features firsthand eyewitness accounts of the events of September 11, 2001. These accounts may include content that some attendees may find unsettling, including graphic or emotionally distressing descriptions of that day. 

This episode explores how South Dakota State University's College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences brings campus expertise into local communities. Our hosts sit down again with Dean David C. Earnest to discuss various initiatives that support South Dakotans, from free tax clinics and playground design projects to concerts and student competitions.

Our conversation today will highlight how student engagement and faculty and alumni support turn ideas into practical public service and hope for the future.

What does civic life actually mean, and why do the arts, humanities and social sciences matter to it? In the first episode of The Civic STATE, our hosts Anna DeGraff and Erik Ritter sit down with Dean David C. Earnest to explore what our college brings to the conversation and why understanding people and communities is essential to a thriving public life.