At a candlelight vigil on the night of Sept. 11, 2011, students gather on the quad in front of Kay Spiritual Center and reflect on their 9/11 memories.
Correction appended
Under a full moon on Sept. 11, 2011, about 450 students and AU religious representatives gathered outside Kay Spiritual Life Center for a candlelight vigil in memory of the 9/11 attacks.
It was the largest group gathered outside Kay since AU students met spontaneously on the steps on Sept. 11, 2001, when the planes first hit the World Trade Center, according to University Chaplain Joe Eldridge.
“Instead of cursing the darkness, we light a candle,” Eldridge said.
Candles were dispersed throughout the crowd and, in solemn silence, each student lit each other’s candles. Once the light reached the back of the crowd at the edges of the grass, student a cappella group On a Sensual Note began singing “Lean on Me.” At the critical verse, “when you’re not strong,” the crowd joined in.
While students seemed to remain stoic during the moment of silence, a rush of emotion suddenly swept over the crowd. Friends leaned on each other with tears in their eyes and some students clasped their hands over their mouths.
For some students at the vigil, the memories of 9/11 were all too real. Valerie Cetrulo, Leah Yesepkin and Rachel Amendolagine began tearing up during the vigil. They were among the dozens at the vigil who were directly affected by 9/11. Cetrulo, a senior in the School of International Service, knew six people in her hometown who passed away on 9/11.
Amendolagine, a senior in the Kogod School of Business, had an aunt who worked in the World Trade Center. After the attacks, hours went by without Amendolagine's family hearing from her aunt; all they could think of was that she might not have gotten out. Eventually, they heard she had survived.
Yesepkin's family also had a close call.
“My aunt was visiting from Russia, and they were going to take a tour of the World Trade Center that day,” said Yesepkin, a senior in SIS, said. “They were leaving later and saw the plane crash on TV. A lot of things happen for a reason.”
A Day of Service
AU students began the 10th anniversary of 9/11 with service events on the Quad.
Members of various student organizations gathered to participate in a clothing drive, a trash cleanup, sandwich making for the homeless and assembling care packages for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Community Service Coalition organized the service events with the help of AU Veterans, EcoSense, Interfaith Services, ROTC and Greek Life.
College Democrats and College Republicans began the day by planting 1,000 flags on the Quad, each representing three individuals who died on 9/11.
“There’s no better way to honor those that died, lost loved ones and those that are currently serving to commit yourself for at least a day,” Student Government President Tim McBride said.
McBride said he hoped the day would mark the beginning of a year of community service and that the event continue as a tradition. By 4 p.m. Sunday he had already seen over 100 people volunteer.
“Our hope with these projects is that it’s not a one-and-done event,” said Tyler Sadonis, director of the Community Service Coalition. “It’s continued service.”
Sadonis and McBride worked with the Community Council for the Homeless and the Graduate Leadership Council to collect clothing and donate food.
“We’re trying to make some lasting elements for today for students who come in the future, who not only weren’t alive or don’t remember 9/11, but weren’t even there for the 10 years after 9/11,” McBride said.
At one of the tables, students were invited to write their memories of 9/11 on sheets of paper to be included in a 9/11 time capsule box. While the SG does not have a designated location to bury the box yet, they plan on putting it somewhere on campus to be opened by the students in the Class of 2051.
Students also wrote thank you cards to veterans at the Armed Services Retirement Home in Northwest D.C.
“Doing community service is a good way to reflect, to direct your confusion into something that’s good,” SG Vice President Liz Richards said.
As the letters stacked up, students packed boxes filled with candy, non-perishables, DVDs and toiletries to send to Afghanistan and Iraq.
Andrew Buchanan, vice president of AU Veterans, has two brothers currently serving in the military who will distribute the packages among their units.
Satchel Kornfeld, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences and the treasurer for AU Vets, said soldiers often request “snivel gear” such as baby wipes.
“Amazingly enough, Q-tips are great for cleaning rifles,” Kornfeld said.
lgiangreco@theeagleonline.com
Correction: An earlier version of this story said Rachel Amendolagine's aunt died in the World Trade Center on 9/11. Amendolagine's aunt was at the Trade Center that day but she did not die in the attacks.
