The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

University prepares to commemorate September 11

To help mark the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, the University will hold numerous events to commemorate the tragedy.

These events will run from the anniversary of September 11th all the way through the end of the fall semester. All University students and outside visitors are invited to attend any of the on campus events. The events remember the national tragedy, which saw attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a plane crash in Pennsylvania.

The major event for St. John’s will be held at the Manhattan campus on Sept. 16 and 17. Scholars from all around the world will take part in an interdisciplinary hosted by Michael Wolfe, associate dean of St. John’s College. “The conference, in particular, reflects St. John’s identity as an inextricable part of New York City with a global scholarly reach,” Wolfe is quoted saying on the St. John’s website.

The University’s Manhattan Campus is located just blocks away from the World Trade Center site.

On the anniversary of September 11th, a Sunday, a special student mass will be held in St. Thomas More Church at 5:30 p.m. Following the mass there will be a “Vigil in Remembrance and Hope” on the Great Lawn. The Vigil is “an opportunity to gather, pray, and honor the victims, survivors and heroes of 9/11” according to the University website.

Freshman Niko Wentworth plans to attend the mass on Sept. 11. “[The mass is] a moment of solidarity with not only New York but with the entire country,” he said. “It’s also a moment of solidarity with the victims of 9/11 and the people who were affected much more by it than I was.”

On Tuesday, Sept. 13th a panel will discuss whether or not America is better prepared to stop another large scale terrorist attack. The event is sponsored by Student Life and will take place in the D’Angelo Center in Room 416.

The Little Theater will host a screening of the nine/twelve tapes on September 14th. The University’s September 11th event page describes the film as a result of “one young man [who] grabbed a simple audio recorder and hit the streets – compelled to speak with strangers about the attacks.” According to the film’s official website, the nine/twelve tapes are meant to “show us a side of ourselves as New Yorkers that many of us have forgotten in the ten years that have passed.”

Bryan Andrade has heard a lot about September 11th in the 10 years since it has happened but always wanted to hear what scholars have had to say on the matter. “I’ve heard a lot about it from a religious standpoint but I’ve never really heard a speech about it.”

Staten Island will host a literary round table hosting writers who have written about September 11th in many different genres ranging from poetry to non-fiction.

On Sept. 12th the Staten Island campus will show a commemorative September 11th quilt and discuss their impact in communities following the attacks.

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Anthony O'Reilly, News Editor
Anthony has been one of the most, if not the most, loyal person at this paper. His passion and his dedication to reporting and production is unparalleled. In the last few weeks, he has demonstrated the qualities of a leader and a coach that are required for this position. I have nothing but confidence that Anthony will do a great job. He will serve you, the reader, by providing the most honest, objective news possible. —Terence Cullen News Editor, Emeritus

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