Sept. 11, 2001, is a day of remembrance for the lives lost at the Pentagon and Twin Towers . This year many memorials for the victims were held virtually // Photo courtesy Jin S. Lee
Despite the pandemic, Hofstra University hosted its annual Sept. 11 Remembrance Ceremony this year in a virtual form. The ceremony was held in the Student Center Theater with no in-person viewers and was livestreamed on the University’s YouTube channel.
“Nineteen years later, we stand together as a community to support all those former and current members of the Hofstra community whose lives were forever changed that day,” said Alexa Paturzo, a junior political science major and programming chair for Hofstra’s Student Government Association. “Today and every day, we may remember the victims and heroes through our own good deeds and give back to our community with hearts filled with compassion.”
After Paturzo’s opening remarks, four cadets in Hofstra’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) presented the nation’s flag while senior early childhood education and English double major Molly McAlpine sang the national anthem.
“I am grateful to have been able to present our nation’s colors during this ceremony,” said Matthew Taitano, a junior psychology major and ROTC cadet . “In a time where this nation seems more divided than ever, a time when, more often than not, we see one another as the enemy, it becomes easy to forget that we are all just fighting for what we think is best for our nation. It should not take a moment of tragedy to give us a sobering realization that despite different creeds, beliefs and backgrounds that we are all Americans.”
Another cadet shared similar sentiments about the significance of this day.
“Now more than ever during this pandemic and the division our country is currently facing, it’s important to commemorate the times our country came together as one and reflect on how important it is to be united,” said Isabella Aparicio, a sophomore nursing major and cadet in ROTC. “9/11 changed America forever, but 9/12 we saw the nation come together in acts of bravery and patriotism.” Aparicio urged Americans to never forget the innocent lives lost in the twin towers and in the aftermath of the attacks.
When the Twin Towers collapsed 19 years ago, Hofstra lost 26 alumni and one student, who at the time was participating in an internship in Manhattan. That day, the Pride lost more than just former students: They lost their family.
“Of those 26 alumni, two of them were my former students at the law school when I was a law professor,” said President Stuart Rabinowitz during his speech. “One of them became a great friend after he graduated and eventually a trustee of the University … the losses are personal to many of us who lived through that day.”
The names of all the students and alumni who passed away in the 9/11 attacks are written on a memorial located outside of C.V. Starr Hall. Each name also appears on a university scholarship to keep the legacies of the students alive.
To close his remarks, Rabinowitz noted how Hofstra’s 9/11 memorial on campus, its scholarships named in honor of those who have passed away as well as the annual ceremony help to keep the Hofstra community hopeful despite the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001.
“These things also help us to remember that even in our darkest hour we choose hope over hate,” Rabinowitz said. “We do not pretend that’s an easy choice – it is easy to hate because our loss endures, but so does our resolve to honor those we’ve lost by living each day with hope and compassion and decency.”
Sept. 11 has affected the way Americans live today, from intense security checks at the airport to stricter surveillance, so that the United States could never forget the events of that day.
“There’s a saying that came along with Sept. 11 on bumper stickers and things to commemorate the event that affected us all so deeply,” said Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students Gabrielle St. Léger. “It says ‘Never Forget.’ I think that says it all.”
Even during a time where measures such as social distancing, proper face coverings and regular sanitation are enforced at all costs, [DA4] Hofstra refused to cancel the ceremony. The University took all the necessary safety precautions established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, such as social distancing, having a plastic covering over the microphone and all speakers wearing a mask unless they were at the podium, which staff cleaned between every speaker.
“There were a lot of Hofstra alums and a lot of people that … if not directly affected, were affected just from all of the people that were lost and all of the tragedy that struck after,” Paturzo said. “Even though it’s 19 years later, there [are] still a lot of things we do because of this particular event, and there’s still a lot of people who lost family members and friends, [so] it’s important to commemorate their memory.”
St. Léger explained that holding the annual commemorative ceremony for 9/11 added a “sense of normalcy in the midst of the pandemic,” which has affected every aspect of life.
“When you think about how many Hofstra community members were affected by it, how many New Yorkers were affected by it [and] how the nation was affected by 9/11, [it’s important to remember],” St. Léger said. ”I know some people think that as generations keep growing, we get further away from the day of the event, [but] I still think that it’s impactful and important for us as a community to [honor] it.”
Hofstra will always take the time to come together and honor the lives of those lost on 9/11. “We come together every year continuing to try to draw strength from each other, to meet the challenges and fulfill that one promise with a simple pledge [that] Hofstra and its community will always remember,” Rabinowitz said.