New York Tech Commemorates 25th Anniversary of 9/11

New York Tech received a grant from 9/11 Day in collaboration with AmeriCorps to participate in a community-led service project to commemorate the 25th anniversary of September 11.

9/11 Day is a nonprofit organization that established the federally recognized September 11 Day of Service and Remembrance. Each year, Americans observe the day by performing good deeds in honor of those affected by the terrorist attacks.

On September 10, faculty, staff, and student volunteers on the Long Island and New York City campuses made approximately small care packs for Fort Hamilton’s USO Care Pack program, which provides New York MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) personnel with bags filled with snacks and toiletries. Fort Hamilton is located in Brooklyn, N.Y. Hunger relief projects, including this care package program, are supported by the Popeyes Foundation.

“This feels very special to me,” says student veteran Jeremy Hunter Williams, whose father is a retired emergency medical technician for the New York City Fire Department. “It’s near and dear to my heart because when you go to basic training, you have the support of your comrades, and you have the support of your family, but your family’s not there with you. Sometimes you go a long time without talking to them, and to know that people are supporting you and giving you gifts to make sure that your time at basic training is good, you couldn’t ask for anything more.”

New York City Council Member Gale Brewer and Manhattan Deputy Borough President Miesha Smith joined students in New York City, and veteran Ed Aulman from Congressman Tom Suozzi’s office joined the Long Island students.

In addition to the Day of Service and Remembrance, the university commemorated the anniversary through a series of events, including a 9/11 Remembrance Day film screening of 9/11: Reclaiming Ground Zero on September 11 on both the Long Island and New York City campuses. The documentary explores how more than 5,000 New Yorkers came together after the September 11 attacks to help shape the future of the World Trade Center site through one of the largest public planning efforts in United States history. Following the screening, participants engaged in a facilitated discussion on resilience, civic engagement, remembrance, and the power of communities coming together in the wake of tragedy. The film’s director, Josh Sabey, was on site for the discussion in New York City.

From September 1 through 30, members of the community are invited to participate in a Memorial Stair Climb Challenge, a virtual climb of 110 flights of stairs—approximately 2,000 to 2,200 steps—to represent the height of the Twin Towers and honor the first responders who gave their lives that day. Participants can share their progress on social media using #newyorktechhonors911 and tag @nyitalumni. All participants will receive a gift of appreciation from the Office of Alumni Relations.

“Twenty-five years after September 11, we have a responsibility to remember those we lost, honor those who responded, and help future generations understand the lasting impact of that day,” says President Jerry Balentine, D.O. “At New York Tech, we are proud to see students, faculty, and staff come together in remembrance and service—carrying forward the compassion, civic responsibility, and commitment to others that remain among the most important lessons of 9/11.”