University of the Cumberlands Marks 25th Anniversary of September 11

University of the Cumberlands students, faculty, staff, local first responders, and community members gathered Friday morning to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks and honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost that day.

The ceremony was held near the Hutton School of Business, where a steel beam recovered from the World Trade Center serves as a permanent memorial, reminding Cumberlands and the surrounding community to “never forget” the events of September 11, 2001.

“Many of you remember exactly where you were that morning, but some of our students were not even born yet,” said University Chancellor Jerry Jackson. “That gap between memory and history is part of why we gather each year.”

The program brought together students and university leaders alongside local law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency personnel, and community leaders.

Students played an important role in the observance, with participation from the Student Government Association, Business Club, Cumberlands Voices, university band, and ROTC cadets.

Whitley County Coroner Andy Croley delivered the keynote remarks. Croley traveled to New York following the September 11 attacks as a volunteer at Ground Zero. During that time, he served as a member of a federal Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team.

Following his service in New York, Croley brought the World Trade Center steel beam back to Whitley County and donated it to Cumberlands, where it has stood as a memorial since.

In his remarks, Croley reflected on the destruction he witnessed as well as the courage and service demonstrated by first responders, recovery workers, and ordinary Americans in the aftermath of the attacks.

“September 11 showed the worst of humanity, but it also revealed the best of America,” Croley said.

He recalled the response in the hours and days following the attacks as people of different backgrounds came together in solidarity and support. Many donated blood, food, clothing, and supplies. Churches opened their doors, communities held prayer services, and volunteers traveled to New York City to use their skills and expertise to help in the recovery efforts.

For Croley, the World Trade Center beam on Cumberlands’ campus serves not only as a reminder of the loss and destruction of that day, but also of the courage, sacrifice, and strength that followed.

“This rugged steel reminds us of the incredible force of destruction that day,” Croley said.

“But it represents far more than destruction. It also represents courage, sacrifice, perseverance, and the strength of the American spirit.”

Many current college students and even some university employees were not yet born at the time of the attacks. Croley said that makes sharing the story of September 11 increasingly important. Not to pass along the fear or hatred of that day, but to preserve the lessons found in how Americans responded to it.

“We were reminded that the things that connected us were far greater than the things that divided us,” Croley said. “That lesson is just as important today as it was 25 years ago.”

For Croley, remembering September 11 means telling younger generations about both the lives that were lost and the people who chose to serve others in the face of tragedy.

“For those who remember September 11, we now have the responsibility to tell the story,” Croley said. “We must teach each generation what happened. We must tell them about the innocent lives that were lost. We must tell them about the first responders who ran toward the danger.”

Croley said carrying that story forward also means carrying forward the values of service and unity demonstrated in the aftermath of the attacks. He recognized local first responders and Cumberlands ROTC cadets as examples of those who continue to answer the call to serve their communities and country.

“The words ‘never forget’ must be more than a phrase repeated once a year,” Croley said. “They must be a promise.”

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of the colors by the Cumberlands ROTC Color Guard and a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Cumberlands Voices. Attendees joined in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before observing a moment of silence and closing together in prayer.