The students, staff, administration and community of Penn State Altoona gathered as one proud and united family Wednesday, September 11 on the lawn in front of the Slep Student Center on campus. The program was entitled, “Penn State Remembers: A Ceremony of Remembrance.”
The First Anniversary of September 11, 2001 marked an occasion for our community, nation and world to focus on remembering the tragic and horrific events that occurred in New York City, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania – events that will live in infamy until humankind is nonexistent.
Penn State Altoona’s ceremony consisted of remarks from Dr. William G. Cale, Jr., CEO and Dean, as well as readings and remarks from students and staff. There was a tolling of the chapel bells in remembrance of the ten known Penn State Alumni who lost their lives in the attacks on New York, the Pentagon, and the hijacked airliner that crashed in Shanksville, as well as for all the victims lost in each of the attacks, and for the countless heroes of that dreadful day.
The uncountable number of attendance for the ceremony just by the student body was truly unfathomable. To witness the enormity of all the emotional young men and women proudly displaying his or her tears that were being shed in remembrance of those who lost their lives on September 11 and for those who saved lives on that day one year ago was overwhelming for any one person to soak in.
I, being a Penn State Alumnus, felt the pride of being a part of the Penn State community as I observed the ceremony with welling eyes. My eyes shed the same tears everyone else in attendance shed as a moment of silence was taken to listen to the tolling of the church bells fourteen times: one for each known Penn State Alumni lost on September 11, one for each of the towers of the World Trade Center, one for the Pentagon, and one for those lost on Flight 93.
During those fourteen bell chimes, I finally realized what kind of person Penn State Altoona molded me to be. Every student presently enrolled at Penn State Altoona or have already passed through its doors, now has a better understanding about appreciating life and how precious it is. The bell chimes echoed that loudly.
President, Penn State Altoona Student Government Association, Craig Jackson, re-evaluated what it is to be a student and/or graduate of Penn State Altoona when he spoke during the ceremony. “What the media did not show was how Penn State Altoona reacted to the attacks of September 11,” said Jackson. “The student body showed courage by our own students who were willing to leave at a moments notice to defend our freedom. We showed unselfishness by comforting our fellow students when they were in need.”
Jackson continued, “Organizations came together to raise money for the firefighters fund and for the families of 9/11. We showed pride by uniting our campus by having the entire community of Altoona coming together to make a human flag. He added, “The student body came together those two weeks following the attacks.”
Students of Penn State Altoona were moved by the ceremony and it helped them reflect back one year ago. Susan Christner, student at Penn State Altoona and Pittsburgh resident, thought it was nice to see everybody come together once again. She has family in New York and D.C. and said that it was nice to see everybody come together so close and quickly last year, which makes the ceremony even more special to her.
“It’s real nice to get my emotions out today,” said Christner. “It’s good we all come together and grieve together, even if it is only for a short while.”
Mandy Cecchetti, student and resident of Kane, said that September 11 is something that she is always going to remember, and the ceremony Wednesday helps keep those memories alive. She stated, “It’s kind of closure in a way, but I don’t know if there will ever be closure. I think a day like today should happen every year to remember this because it’s something we can’t forget, and never will be able to.”
Cecchetti added, “I think how America came together and how we all stand as one is probably one of the greatest things our country will ever experience.”
Tears and silence were evident among students and staff, but David P. Shields, Jr., Director, Division of Student Affairs, thought that it was a positive thing for students to stop and ponder on last year’s attacks. He said, “It’s important for students to share emotions, a lot of them at this age do not let emotions out very easily, and it’s hopeful that this type of program helps them to do that.”
CEO and Dean, Dr. William G. Cale, Jr., was pleased to see the large turnout to remember those PSU alumni lost on September 11 during the horrific events, but he also wanted people to recall how our country has responded since the attacks and to think about where we are going from here.
Cale stated, “This was touching for me today and also a year ago. The events we are talking about are so large in comparison to what we can do. We all feel a little overwhelmed by the circumstance and we’re trying to live up to the task.”
Penn State Altoona is living up to the task. The student body has found new spirit in their country and that couldn’t have been more evident than yesterday during the ceremony remembering that fearful day of September 11.
As the ceremony ended, students, staff and administration somberly walked away to attend to their daily schedule with September 11 implanted in the backs of each and everyone’s minds. As for myself, I walked to my vehicle and drove back to Tyrone thinking that I wouldn’t trade my Penn State Alumni status for anything in the world.
I just wish it didn’t take a memorial ceremony for a tragedy that took thousands of lives to remind me of that Penn State Pride.
