Each year, students gather around Choate Pond and Got- tesman Patio to remember the tragic events of Sept.11, 2001. The brothers of Alpha Phi Delta (APD) and sisters of Phi Sigma Sigma (PhiSig) host the annual 9/11 Memorial to commemorate this historical event and represent that it will always be a part of us.

“The event is extremely im- portant for students regardless of how they were affected by the ter- rorist attacks,” said senior criminal justice major and brother of Alpha Phi Delta, John Manzo.

The memorial has been an an- nual event for the last 11 years.

“It’s good for remembrance and it brings the community to- gether,” said Manzo “It is a very emotional moment for us since we were all there or were affected in some form or another.”

With the participation of the campus Counseling Center, Alpha

Phi Delta and Phi Sigma Sigma have provided the on-campus Pace community with an oppor- tunity to share their stories about 9/11 and how the events have af- fected them. This serves as a sup- port system for one another within the Pace community, in conjunc- tion with the Counseling Center. Whether or not a student verbally participates is not the issue, but what a student can take from this ceremony is what really matters.

“We want students to take a sense of community from this event,” said Manzo, “It’s not just

APD or PhiSig, it’s Pace Univer- sity as a community including fac- ulty, staff and students. We would love to have the New York City campus involved as well since they were truly affected by the events.”

There is no doubt that the Pace community is strong and has the ability to keep each other upright. As the years have passed, the num- ber of students has risen, provid- ing more than one shoulder to lean on during the ceremony. So many emotions run though the minds of students, but also through the local

community members that have at- tended in previous years. Although the event is targeted towards our student body, residents of Pleas- antville and its surrounding areas have taken a role in events com- memorating the events of 9/11.

This year, Meghan Kavanagh, a sister of PhiSig, will be singing the National Anthem. For more information, contact John Manzo at [email protected] . Be sure to stop by Gottesman Patio at 9pm for the 11th Annual 9/11 Memo- rial.