By Nico Machlitt and Lauren del Valle (Special to The Chronicle and Staff Writer)
Hofstra University came together on Wednesday in remembrance of the 12th anniversary of the September 11 al-Qaeda attacks.

The World Trade Center twin towers crumbled upon impact, killing approximately 2,996 people, according to the 9/11 Memorial Museum. Each year since, Hofstra has honored those who were killed around the nation as a result of the terrorist attacks.

The university held a formal memorial service at the CV Starr labyrinth during which President Rabinowitz alongside other faculty members spoke words of condolence.

A moment of silence commemorated the lives lost, particularly remembering fallen Hofstra alumni.  A rose wreath displayed their names.

The Memorial Quad located behind Hofstra Hall had a circle of remembrance shaped as an outline of the United States in which the campus population could plant a flag inside.

Junior Chelsea Gillyard, SGA programming chair, handed out flags during the event. The experience allowed her to reflect on her own memory of the day.

Gillyard recalled that she was one of the last of her classmates to be picked up from school upon its emergency closing in the third grade. Understanding little of the occurrence because of her young age, she knew only that her father was working near the World Trade Center.

“My family and I just sat around waiting for him to get home. When he got home and when we finally got in contact with him, he told us he was walking home from Manhattan to the Bronx, which is to where we live, probably a two to two and a half hour walk,” said Gillyard.

Gillyard was not able to comprehend the magnitude of the attack until she got older.

“Once I grew up I realized how much of an impact it had not only on New York but also on the rest of the world. That is one of the main reasons why I do this, because it hit so close to home,” said Gillyard.

Other students also reflected on the day including junior Lisa Guzman, who felt that everyone drew closer as a community.

“Personally for me I feel like we’ve become more united. I feel like more people realize what the impact was.”

The Hofstra University tradition of memorializing September 11, 2001 will continue indefinitely as America will never forget the impact it’s had on the country.