In a glass display case within the Arnold Bernhard Library sits a piece of steel, about four inches in length and rough around the edges. It’s a dense cut of metal, heavier than it looks — and the symbol it leaves behind carries a weight that is immeasurable.
“That’s recovered steel from the World Trade Center,” stated Robert Joven, Quinnipiac University librarian. The school received the donation from a commencement speaker, Bryan Hunt, several years ago. It eventually came into the possession of the library, where it is now displayed, alongside an exhibit of other memorabilia.
“I was extremely impressed at how quickly our citizens rallied (Clark Co. making special torches in less than 24 hours, trucks waiting our landing at Newark to take supplies to ground zero, and experts with cutting equipment ready to start clearing the debris. It’s a testament to our citizens’ call to action.”
Jason Burke, Director of Veteran and Military Affairs at Quinnipiac University
Sandy O’Hare, the Access Services librarian on campus, began to collect the objects on display at the library almost immediately after the attacks on 9/11.
The library exhibit isn’t the only way that Quinnipiac is coming together to remember those who lost their lives on Sept. 11. The university hosts a flag raising ceremony each year on the morning of 9/11.
Jason Burke, Director of Veteran and Military Affairs, spoke at this year’s annual tribute ceremony. He also reflected on his own personal experience during the immediate aftermath of Sept. 11.
“I was extremely impressed at how quickly our citizens rallied (Clark Co.) making special torches in less than 24 hours, trucks waiting our landing at Newark to take supplies to ground zero, and experts with cutting equipment ready to start clearing the debris,” Burke said. “It’s a testament to our citizens’ call to action.”
The ceremony has taken place each year since 2002 and is just one of the many ways that the university remembers. Jamie DeLoma, director of Live Channels, established the “Never Forgotten” page on Quinnipiac’s website.
In partnership with Burke, DeLoma, alongside Brian Koonz, the Director of Editorial Services, and Lisa Scrofani, Digital Producer, created the page to accompany the physical ceremony on campus.
“Never Forgotten” itself serves as a live journal for members of the community to share their experiences and reflections on the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11.
DeLoma, who himself graduated from Quinnipiac in 2006, expressed “heartfelt gratitude” to the faculty, staff, students and alumni that have so far come forward to contribute to the website.
“We — Brian, Lisa, and I — could’ve had all of the ideas in the world, but if the community didn’t come and share their perspectives and reflections, it would be a blank webpage,” DeLoma said.
The events of Sept. 11 forever changed America, but it also altered the trajectory of many people’s careers, including many here at Quinnipiac University.
DeLoma was a senior in high school on 9/11. The day changed his outlook on where he wanted to go to college.
“My first choice to go to college was Fordham at Lincoln Center, and I was convinced that I was going to go to college in Manhattan. My goal was to be the editor-in-chief at the New York Times,” DeLoma stated.
The trauma that focused around New York City during that time began a period of night terrors for DeLoma’s aunt and grandmother, who feared for his life in New York City. While he was always going to apply to Quinnipiac University, DeLoma firmly believes 9/11 is what changed his mind and brought him to Hamden.
O’Hare had already been working at Quinnipiac at the time. She’s the one responsible for the exhibit in the library, and she’s dedicated a lot of her time to collecting memorabilia that reflects on the aftermath of 9/11.
“I’ve just been collecting all of this because to me it’s important that nobody forgets,” O’Hare said.
O’Hare was raising her young children at the time, and the comic books and trading cards that honored the lives lost on Sept. 11th are what helped her educate her kids on such a tragic subject.
Joven was a mere 10 minutes away from Grand Central Station when the first plane crashed into the North Tower. Once off the train, chaos ensued in the Grand Central Station Terminal as the second attack was seen by onlookers via newspaper stand television.
“That it wasn’t the terrorism that should be the main focus, it was the story of the people … when something tragic happens, especially of this gravity, people do come around and the best of humanity eventually comes out.”
Robert Joven, Quinnipiac University Library
At this point Joven knew that what was taking place was a terrorist attack, however, he did not know what to do. Despite witnessing the second plane hit the South Tower, Joven continued his commute by foot and actually made it work that day in the midst of the attack.
“When we heard that there was another plane that hit the Pentagon, and then in Pennsylvania, I knew,” Joven said.
Joven turned around. He was able to make it on a train out of New York City back to Connecticut after waiting for over two hours in Grand Central Station.
“My wife was pregnant, and they couldn’t get a hold of me for a while,” Joven said. “After 9/11, I knew and my family knew that they didn’t want me working in New York City.”
Other members of the Hamden community, like Hamden Fire Department Fire Chief Gary Merwede, spoke passionately about his own reflections on 9/11.
“The human cost weighs heavy on your mind,” Merwede said. “That’s what I hope people remember. The people that were on the planes and everybody that was affected by it.”
It is apparent that there is one common message that these community members of the community have for the younger generation as they take their own time to reflect on the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks: the humanity and unconditional love that people treasured.
“That beauty came from those tragic moments,” Burke said.
Joven hopes that as the generation that was born after the terrorist attacks on 9/11 is passed the torch for keeping the legacy of those lost alive, that they don’t reflect on the hatred that was responsible.
“That it wasn’t the terrorism that should be the main focus, it was the story of the people,” Joven said “… When something tragic happens, especially of this gravity, people do come around and the best of humanity eventually comes out.”
In the continuing weeks following this day of remembrance of 9/11, DeLoma encourages any members of the community to share their stories for the website. He can be contacted via email at jamie.deloma@quinnipiac.edu
The library exhibit will remain for the next upcoming weeks on the Mount Carmel campus, and O’Hare and Joven welcome and invite the Hamden community to come to reflect and learn more about the objects on display.