Students Reflect On the 20th Anniversary Of 9/11
By Jaidyn Hires, News Editor
On the 9/20/2001 issue of the Hudsonian, a poem was featured in the “Thoughts by the Students of HVCC” section. Submitted anonymously, the piece reflects the impact of 9/11 on the student population:
• NYC: TERROR •
“I see it on the tv
I hear it on the radio
I see it in the papers
It also on the net All I hear about is the fear and terror
I see the smoke from the buildings in everyone’s eyes
They don’t know what’s going to happen next.
How many more have to die before we find some kind of peace?
We have to be so careful
So aware because we might be next
How do we stop it all?
‘Stop the violence, begin the peace’
So many say it but who really means it?
So many innocent die for the wrong reasons
They die before their time
We are all role models for the next generation
We have to stop and slow down
Or the next generation will be just like us
Do We really want the violence to continue on after we are all dead?
Or the next generation will be just like us
Do we really want the violence to continue on after we are all dead?”
Just days after the terror attacks on September 11th, 2001, Hudson Valley students rallied together in the Campus Center to grieve and process the event as a collective. Twenty years later, HVCC gathered again on Friday, September 10th at the Remembering 9/11: Wreath Presentation. The wreath-laying is a memorial event in remembrance of those lost, organized by the Student Activities Office, Veterans Office and Student Senate.
Director of the Center of Academic Engagement, Andrew Roberts calls upon a poignant observation that reflects the position that 9/11 has in the lives of most young Hudson Valley students, “When you walk through the campus center, hanging from one of the rails on the second floor is a ‘9/11: Never Forget sign. It’s one of those things, it’s passed every single day by a lot of students, a lot of staff, and it’s not often thought about.” Considering both our location and significant military-connected population, organizing a more formal event in remembrance of the tragedy is a symbol of empathy and recognition of those who have been impacted in any way.
As someone who was in the third grade in 2001, Coordinator of Veteran Outreach, Daniel Wargo says that he was compelled to join the military as he came of age. “If you look at the events directly after 9/11, like how we all came together, everybody across the country was going to Ground Zero, going to the Pentagon, or going to Pennsylvania. But then we also attacked a group of people that were just the same color or creed as the people who partook in those events… It’s an important event only because we learn from it.” As a veteran himself, Wargo is intimately aware of the impact of 9/11 on his generation. He seeks to provide resources for veterans and military-affiliated students on campus by offering an open door and providing necessary guidance. Upcoming events for veteran and military-connected students include equine therapy and Happy Hour at the Recovery Room for the upcoming football season.
Dr. Jay Deitchman proudly attended the Campus Event for the 20th Anniversary of 9/11 in remembrance of his friend, Shawn Edward Bowman, Jr. who lost his life on that tragic day. He recounts the event from an administrator’s perspective on campus. “The events of September 11th, 2001 changed the world in irreversible ways. It’s interesting you know, in my role with Global Initiatives, I work with international students and there was definitely a dramatic effect.” According to Dr. Deitchman, the dissolving of immigration naturalization service (INS) and subsequent transferring of those functions led to significant changes in the process of immigration, affecting our nation’s campuses.
Last Sunday, 9/11/2021, we recognized those lost 20 years ago, those affected today, and our first responders on Ground Zero.