Dear Members of the Monmouth University Community:
Today marks the 24th anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001. On this solemn day, we join together as a community to remember the lives lost in New York, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Whether you have a personal memory of where you were on that fateful day, or learned about the events as a historical fact, together we live in a nation forever changed by the attacks.
As we reflect on this day of loss, we honor the 2,977 individuals who perished and the countless acts of courage that emerged during those dark moments. In their memory, we will observe the tolling of the University bells at the times below. We invite everyone in our community to pause for a moment of silence during each bell toll to pay tribute to those we lost.
8:46 a.m. │ American Airlines Flight 11 strikes the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
9:03 a.m. │ American Airlines Flight 175 strikes the South Tower.
9:43 a.m. │ Airlines Flight 77 strikes the Pentagon.
10:10 a.m.│ United Airlines Flight 93 crashes in Pennsylvania, after heroic actions by passengers and crew.
We also encourage members of our community to visit the 9/11 Veterans Memorial located near Nagy Common between 9 a.m. and noon today. We will plant flags, and will hold an additional moment of silence at noon to reflect on the bravery and sacrifice of those who responded in the immediate aftermath, and rose in service and sacrifice in the years that followed.
Beginning at dusk, we will illuminate the facades of the Great Hall and the Guggenheim Memorial Library in blue, in conjunction with the annual Tribute in Lightled by the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. This simple but striking gesture recalls the clear blue color of the sky on that September morning 24 years ago, and shines a light on all who responded, those we lost, and all who continue to mourn and carry the memory forward.
I hope that through our collective remembrance, as a university community, we may ensure that the lessons and legacies of September 11 endure. May we never forget.
Sincerely,
Dr. Patrick F. Leahy
President