This past Monday, the Alpha Phi Delta fraternity hosted their annual candle light vigil to honor those who were impacted by September 11, 2001.

“It’s an honor to do this every year. It’s something that really humbles me every time we run it,” said the President of Alpha Phi Delta, Justin Grossmann. “To me and to every person I’ve ever met, it’s extremely important to remember the lives that were lost on this infamous day in our history.”

Even though the average freshmen for this year was born around 1999, the event still faced a large turnout.

“As time goes on, less and less college students are actually old enough to remember 9/11.  It’s becoming harder yet increasingly important to have discussions about it,” said Grossmann.

A video of New York was projected, showing how beautiful the city is.  Then, it goes to the crucial and saddening facts about the city scene in 2001. It cuts to the tape of the plane hitting the World Trade Center with screams from everyone, and cuts to former President Bush. He stated not only a warning, but also spoke of America’s strength and resilience, followed by empowering music, showing a time-lapse of the new World Trade Center being built, honoring those impacted, and in memory of what happened on that day.

Brianna Iliceto, a sister of Delta Phi Epsilon, sang the National Anthem, and led to an open discussion, where Rachel Skopp-Cardillo, a sophomore, discussed her memory of 9/11 and how it affected her life at a young age.

Carlos Mercedes Meran hosted this event and led all of those who attended to take a candle and walk to the middle of the campus, where Pace University’s 9/11 Memorial Statue is located. The statue was illuminated for the entire service. Everyone in the crowd stood in a moment of silence, paying their respects those fallen. “The biggest duty that we have is to not let terrorism win. We can’t be afraid,” said the host.