Two years ago today, the United States was shocked by the worst acts of terrorism in American history.
On Sept. 11, 2001 when two airline jets flew into the World Trade Center, over 3,000 civilians, health care providers, firemen, and policemen lost their lives. Attacks on The Pentagon and in Somerset, Pennsylvania also shook the nation to the core.
This week, the Fairfield University community prayed for the victims and for a brighter future.
“Students and faculty want a memorial service in some shape or form,” said Rev. Charles Allen, S.J., executive assistant of the president. “Eighty percent of our prayers are to remember the lost, but twenty percent is for God to help us in the future.”
Fairfield will be holding memorial masses today at 12:10 p.m. at the Alumni House, presided by Rev. Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., president of Fairfield University, at 6 p.m. in the Egan Chapel, presided by Rev. Terrence Devino, S.J., and a scriptural rosary ceremony to be held at 10 p.m. at the Egan Chapel.
Devino has joined the Campus Ministry as associate director this year.
He will direct many retreats, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults programs and Hunger Cleanup, as well as lead students on the North American mission Experience to Maine and Kentucky.
Students remained confident that this Sept. 11 will stress the importance of peace and remembrance, as last year’s memorial masses urged students to keep faith.
“Sept. 11 was something so horrible and terrifying,” said Kristen Salmon, ’04. “I think that on that day, we realized just how vulnerable we can be. Many people have become more patriotic as a result, and it’s the memorial services that help us to remember the victims and their families.”
In honor of the victims and their families, Fairfield University restricted $1 million of its own institutional endowment to establish the Sept. 11 Memorial Scholarship Fund. Currently, there has been no recipient of this scholarship.
“No awards have been given out,” said Susan Kadir, director of financial aid. “Although some students lost relatives, there are so many options out there for financial aid that many do not demonstrate further need.”
This endowed scholarship fund will directly benefit qualified Fairfield University students demonstrating financial need by providing aid that, in addition to other University grants, will underwrite full tuition for students who are current Fairfield University students who lost a parent in the September 11, 2001 disaster, are the sons and daughters of Fairfield alumni who were lost in the Sept. 11, 2001 disaster should they become Fairfield University students, and children of rescue workers from the New York Police Department, the Fire Department of New York, and the New York City Emergency Medical Services should they become Fairfield University students.
“No students have applied for the scholarship yet this year,” said Barbara Surowiec, assistant director of financial aid. “To our knowledge, no one falls in line with the criteria for the scholarship.”
Surowiec stated that donations have not been made from the monies allocated towards the football and hockey programs.
“None of that money has gone towards this fund,” she said. “That money is entirely separate from the money set aside for the sports teams.”
Despite the two-year anniversary, students remain concerned for the future and for future terrorist attacks.
“There is always that thought of ‘Can this happen again?'” said Jill Davido, ’04. “I can’t imagine something as horrible as Sept. 11 to strike this country again.”
Allen, however, continues to be optimistic for the future.
“When someone is lost, we should ask ourselves if we can learn from their memory,” he said. “We must keep them alive in our own mind. We should be interested in what all of this holds for the future of the country and humanity in general.”
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