On the afternoon of Sept. 11, 2001, Syracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel filled to capacity with students trying to come to terms with the panic, insecurity and utter loss left in the wake of the morning’s attacks. Ten years later, students, alumni and members of the Syracuse community filed into the pews once more to reflect on the decade-altering day.

Tiffany Steinwert, dean of Hendricks Chapel, opened SU’s Service of Remembrance and Hope on Sunday by offering words that both memorialized those lost and provided a sense of hope and encouragement for those who survive them. A single candle burned in the center aisle of the chapel and seats were left empty to honor those that perished, Steinwert said.

Steinwert’s opening remarks stressed the importance of rebuilding in the face of tragedy.

‘May we be bound this day not only by our sorrow, but by our fierce hope for a better tomorrow,’ Steinwert said.

Members of Hendricks’ various chaplaincies followed a performance by the Hendricks Chapel Choir with an interfaith prayer. The representatives from a few chaplaincies spoke one after the other, the calls for unity from each denomination’s representative flowing into the next.

Quineese Works, a junior political science major, said she appreciated the multidenominational approach and the ceremony’s overall atmosphere.

‘I like that it incorporated all faiths, and it focused more on the future and having hope than on the past. Not that it didn’t focus on the actual tragedy,’ she said. ‘It wasn’t a sad ceremony. It was uplifting.’

After a rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’ by the Syracuse Children’s Chorus, Thomas Wolfe, senior vice president and dean of student affairs, presented a speech that recalled, in vivid detail, the SU campus on 9/11.

Wolfe, dean of Hendricks at the time of the attacks, helped arrange a gathering for the community that afternoon 10 years ago. The chapel was packed beyond capacity, with attendees piling into every available corner, he said.

‘Death, close calls, disconnected families, reunited families. Stories of rescue, stories of attempted rescue,’ Wolfe’s lyrical description of 9/11 brought tears to the eyes of some.

Three chaplains read from sacred texts on the afternoon of 9/11, the last of which was Imam Ahmed Kobeisy. As the day continued and people learned more about the attacks, the phrase ‘Islamic terrorists’ was used with increasing frequency, Wolfe said. Wolfe said he encouraged Kobeisy to speak to separate ‘Islamic’ from ‘terrorists’ in the minds of those who heard the words said in tandem throughout the day.

A more uplifting and powerful ‘It Is Well’ sung by the Black Celestial Choral Ensemble followed Wolfe’s speech.

After the ensemble, Laura Beachy, a Remembrance Scholar as well as a senior television, radio and film and anthropology major, said in a speech that the events of 9/11 made both her and her generation age faster.

‘At 11, my generation was told that some people hate without reason and take joy from others’ suffering,’ she said.

Beachy, who lived near the Pennsylvania field where the United Airlines Flight 93 crashed, described her town before the attacks as an ‘unknown town in anywhere America.’

Though Beachy said the events were saddening and inspired outrage, she also said she learned the human spirit ‘rises from the ashes of tragedy.’

The service concluded with a chapel-wide song of ‘Let There Be Peace on Earth.’ The voices of those in attendance eventually faded, allowing the Syracuse Children’s Choir to, as Dean Steinwert said, ‘conclude our service with the children’s voices leading us into a world of peace.’

A reception was set up on the Quad following the service. White sheets, signed by SU students after the attacks, were adorned with messages of condolence, anti-war messages and quotes calling for hope. New sheets were also put on display for current SU students to sign.

Stephen Nathan, an SU alumnus that was involved with SU’s ROTC and has done work with the Pentagon, worked alongside Wendy Faulkner, one of 30 SU alumni that passed away on 9/11.

Nathan said he secured extra copies of the service’s programs for Faulkner’s family members who live in Ohio. Though Nathan only knew her professionally, he said Faulkner was a dependable coworker.

‘I remember she was very bright, and she always did exactly what she said she would do. She was very reliable and efficient. Just a great person to work with,’ Nathan said.

Aditya Agarwal, a master’s student from India studying computer engineering, said the service helped him foster a deeper understanding of the United States.

‘Today, I really felt really close to the people of America and their loss,’ he said. ‘I’ve always heard their loss and have seen it on television, but this is the first time that I’ve felt, inside my heart, close to the American people.’

dbtruong@syr.edu

Published on September 11, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Debbie: dbtruong@syr.edu | @debbietruong