FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 23
Queens College marks 20th anniversary of Sept. 11 attacks
BY GABRIELE
HOLTERMANN
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Queens College
marked the 20th
anniversary of the
Sept. 11 attacks by
memorializing 40
members of the
college community
— who
were among the
nearly 3,000 people
killed in the terrorist
attacks that day
20 years ago — in an
outdoor ceremony in
Cooperman Plaza
next to the Benjamin
S. Rosenthal Library.
On Friday, Sept. 10,
the program opened
with the CUNY color
guard, a prayer by Father
Jeremy Canna and Ali
Mermer, and a rendition
of “America the Beautiful” performed by the
Aaron Copland School of Music orchestra.
Bells tolled from the library’s Chaney-
Goodman-Schwerner Clock Tower at 8:46
a.m. and at 9:03 a.m., marking when the
north and south towers were hit, and at 9:59
a.m., and 10:28 a.m. when they collapsed.
With the New York City skyline in the far
distance and the crystal clear blue sky serving
as a backdrop, Queens College President
Frank Wu recalled that the memorial gathering
was in the same spot where many
joined together 20 years ago to watch the
moment.
“Th e city up on a hill, as a place of principle
of freedom, of opportunity — and it does
so, still today,” Wu said before introducing
Zaire Couloute, president of the university’s
Student Association.
Couloute pointed out while hate, warfare
and injustice exist in the world, acts of violence
could not divide New Yorkers.
“As we think of 9/11, we think that is our
responsibility to stay together to keep each
other safe, to protect each other, to care
for each other and embrace each other,”
Couloute said.
Assemblywoman Nily Rozic shared that
she was a high school student at Townsend
Harris High School next to the Queens
College campus on 9/11 in 2001. She was
running up the
stairs to her sixthfloor
chemistry
class when the tragic events unfolded before
her eyes.
“It was unnerving. It was horrifi c, and was
something that I will never forget,” Rozic
said.
She gave a special call-out to Jennifer
Wong, a Townsend Harris High School
alumni, who perished on 9/11.
“I commemorate her every single year as
well and hold her in my heart,” Rozic said.
Before the reading of the 40 names of
the Queens College community members
who died on Sept. 11, Wu told the story
of Queens College student Mohammad
Hamdani, a police cadet who was close to
the twin towers that fateful morning and
whose family established a scholarship in his
honor for Queens College graduates.
“Instead of running away, like the brave
fi rst responders that he was preparing to
join, he rushed toward the scene that was
unfolding,” Wu said. “He risked his life. He
didn’t make it.”
Kevin Ferguson, academic senate chair,
read the names of the 40 souls who perished
on 9/11.
Th e names are as follows:
• Marie Rose Abad ‘74 Sociology
• Christy A. Addamo ‘94 Accounting
(employee of Marsh & McLennan)
• Guy Barzvi ‘98 Accounting
• Dominick Berardi (alumnus; employee of
Cantor Fitzgerald)
• Joseph J. Berry ‘69 Math & Economics
• Alan Bondarenko (brother of retired
employee Marilyn Burgmaier, Human
Resources)
• Alexander Braginsky ‘87 Accounting
• Delrose E. Forbes Cheatham ‘00
Accounting
• David DeFeo ‘90 Psychology (son of retired
employee Louise DeFeo, Human Resources)
• William J. Dimmling ‘76 Accounting and
Economics, summa cum laude
• Donald Foreman (alumnus)
• Th omas Gardner ‘95 Biology
• Matthew Garvey ‘99 History
• Steven A. Giorgetti ‘80 Accounting (Senior
Vice President with Marsh & McLennan)
• Mohammad S. Hamdani ‘01 Chemistry
• Daniel E. Harlin (alumnus; member of
Ladder Co. #2 midtown Manhattan)
• Milagros Hromada (daughter-in-law of
retired College Assistant Dolores Hromada;
employee of the Aon Corporation)
• Louis Steven Inghilterra ‘81 Accounting
• Stephanie Irby ‘92 Accounting
• Luis Jimenez, Jr. ‘98 Accounting
• Hyun Joon Lee (Paul) Lee (alum; accounting
major).
• Ralph Licciardi (cousin of retired employee
Mario Caruso, Graduate Admissions)
• Joseph Lostrangio ‘75 Communications
• Gary Lutnick (son of deceased Queens
College Professor Solomon Lutnick)
• Patrick Lyons ‘84 Media Studies
• Eskedar Melaku ‘92 Accounting (Assistant
Vice President with Marsh & McLennan)
• Sharon C. Millan
• Ronald K. Milstein ‘72 English
• Nancy Morgenstern ‘90 Communications
Arts & Sciences (employee of Cantor
Fitzgerald)
• Laurence Nedell (alumnus)
• Gye Hyong Park (alum)
• Michael R. Richards ‘85 Art Studio
• Christopher A. Santora ‘00 History
• Michael Seaman (husband of Queens
College alumna Dara Seaman)
• Lonny Stone ’82 BA, Communication,
Arts & Sciences
• Paul Talty ‘92 Sociology (husband of
Queens College alumna and former employee
Barbara Talty)
• Lawrence Virgilio ‘87 American Studies
• Gabriela Waisman ‘93 Psychology
• Michael H. Waye
• Oleh D. Wengerchuk ‘77 Art
Anna Lian and Rabbi Sara Zacharia closed
the ceremony praying for kindness, love and
peace, reading a blessing from the Bible that
is invoked in the Jewish and Christian faith.
“I hope they will serve to remind you of
the constant presence of God in your life,”
said Lian, director and Christian educator
at the Vine QC Lutheran Campus Ministry.
“Maybe these words reassure you and give
you peace.”
Queens College has held an annual campus
ceremony to commemorate those who
lost their lives in the attacks since 2002.
Wu explained that it was essential to share
the meaning of 9/11 with the new generation
of incoming students who weren’t even born
on the day of infamy.
“Th is is a profound moment. By coming
together in community, we make sense
of not only tragedy, chaos and violence,”
Wu said. “9/11 is still with us, and it always
will be.”
Queens College also honored its responding
FDNY Engine House 315/Ladder 125
for its service to the school with a plaque of
appreciation, commemorating their service.
QC also commemorates the 20th anniversary
with the “Remember Th is: A 9/11
20-Year Anniversary Memorial” exhibition
at the Godwin-Ternbach Museum.
Th e exhibition, which is on display until
Dec. 17, 2021, features six oversized images
that were part of the design proposal for
Tribute in Light, 2002 — a public art installation
involving two beams of light projected
into the sky near Ground Zero. Due
to COVID-19 rules, all visitors must be
approved before accessing the campus.
Photos by Gabriele Holtermann
Queens College President Frank Wu delivers
remarks at the Queens College 9/11 memorial.
Assembly member
Nily Rozic
delivers remarks at
the Queens College
9/11 memorial.
Student Association President Zaire
Couloute speaks at the Queens College
9/11 memorial.