Remembering September 11

Dear Rutgers–New Brunswick Community,

Twenty-five years have passed since the attacks of September 11, 2001. For some in our community, the memories remain vivid and personal. Many of our students were not yet born and have come to understand that day through what they have learned and the stories others have shared.

At Rutgers, that loss is part of our own history. Thirty-seven Rutgers alumni were among the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives.

Rutgers also has a connection to the work that followed. John Farmer, who founded Rutgers’ Miller Center on Policing and Community Resilience, served as senior counsel and team leader for the 9/11 Commission, helping lead its examination of the nation’s preparedness for and response to the attacks.

That Commission came about in part because families kept pushing for answers. Mary Fetchet, who lost her son, Brad, at the World Trade Center, was among those advocating for its creation. She later helped start VOICES, which went on to open an office in New Brunswick and support 9/11 families, responders, and survivors while helping preserve their stories.

Listening to families, asking difficult questions, and keeping these stories alive still matter, especially as a new generation learns about September 11.

I hope we take a moment today to remember those who were lost and to think with compassion about the many people whose lives were changed.

With care,

Francine Conway
Chancellor
Rutgers University–New Brunswick