SUNY Oneonta commemorated its seven alumni who died in the World Trade Center terrorist attacks during a ceremony Wednesday, Sept. 11 — a similarly sunny day as Sept. 11, 2001, when 2,977 people were killed in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
About 150 people gathered for the memorial service near Fitzelle Hall in the upper quad of campus, by the Twin Towers sculpture designed by Charles Bremer, including students, professors, state, city and university police personnel, Oneonta fire and emergency squad personnel, the school’s chorus and woodwind ensemble, as well as local community supporters.
“We had more professors and students this year watching the ceremony,” said Brynn Havens, assistant director of alumni engagement. “I think the sunny weather and the sound of the music and ceremony, more classes may have been let out to see the ceremony.”
“Some people may not even know about these two tower sculptures here and the plaque and may walk by it every day, but now they may know more about it,” Havens added. “Where the sun is hitting at the top of the columns and where the floral designs are marked is where the points of impact were from the two planes that hit the towers.”
The 12-foot tall columns representing the Twin Towers has a plaque that reads: “We dedicate this memorial and place of contemplation to all of those who lost their lives in the World Trade Center disaster, including families and friends of the College of Oneonta, and especially our alumni who perished that day.”
The ceremony began at 9 a.m. with the presentation of the colors by the state. Following was a solemn placing of the helmets honoring first-responders to the World Trade Center on 9/11, presented by university police officer James Hogan and Otsego County Office of Emergency Services deputy fire coordinator Jeremy Hilton.
Musical performances added to the gravitas of the ceremony with a solo of the national anthem by SUNY Oneonta senior Alexandria Lincoln, followed by “America the Beautiful” sung by the SUNY Oneonta World Chorus, conducted by Professor Brian Reynolds.
Scott Saltzman, a member of the school’s Alumni Association board of directors, performed the laying of the wreath, followed by Greg Floyd ’80, also a board member, who read the names of the seven alumni died on 9/11.
After each name was read, a bell tolled, followed by the laying of a long-stemmed red rose from each of the seven student recipients of the 9/11 Memorial Scholarship, a program which began in 2002.
The SUNY Oneonta alumni who died and have been memorialized on the sculpture’s plaque include, Martin Lizzul, class of 1991; Lynne Irene Morris, class of 2000; Michael J. Mullin, class of 1996; Jeffrey R. Nussbaum, class of 1986; Kevin Owen Reilly, class of 1995; Brian J. Terrenzi, class of 1995; and Glenn J. Winuk, class of 1983.
Recipients of the school’s 9/11 memorial scholarship include, Megan Cleveland, class of ’27; Jessica Coleman, class of ’25; Dakota Keats, class of ’26; Dillon Kelly, class of ’26; Tara Nicholson, class of ’26; Alyssa Thompson, class of ’26; Ison Wakazadi, class of ’25.
Benjamin Keen performed a rendition of the Foo Fighters’ song “Times Like These” on acoustic guitar, making some of the attendants tear up.
“I chose this song to be uplifting,” Keen said. “I’m from Virginia and so is David Grohl. The song made sense to me for this event.”
The ceremony ended with Stephen Yerly, a bagpipe player in traditional Scottish memorial wardrobe, playing “Amazing Grace” while slowly walking down the sidewalk and disappearing behind the back of a campus building.