Indiana State University students gathered on campus this week to continue a longstanding Sycamore tradition of remembrance as the nation prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Approximately 30 students participated in setting up the annual 9/11 Flag Memorial, placing 3,000 American flags on campus in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the attacks and honoring the first responders, members of the military and others whose service and sacrifice followed.
The memorial is traditionally organized by Sigma Alpha Lambda (SAL), a national leadership and honors organization and registered campus organization with Indiana State’s Office of Student Activities and Organizations. The memorial started at Indiana State and because of the success of the event at the University, it was adopted as part of their national initiatives. Saint Mary of the Woods College also partners with Sigma Alpha Lambda and has commemorated this event for the last few years.
According to Dustin Bryant, Career Services Coordinator at the Indiana State University Career Center and chapter advisor of the organization, the memorial tradition began nearly two decades ago and has become an annual signature event for the campus.
This year’s volunteers included members of Sigma Alpha Lambda as well as marketing and public relations students from Indiana State’s Scott College of Business. Together, the students helped create a visible tribute intended to encourage the campus community to pause, reflect and remember the events of Sept. 11 and the nearly 3,000 lives lost that day.
The student participation also carries special significance on the 25th anniversary. Most of today’s Indiana State students were born after Sept. 11, 2001, making traditions such as the flag memorial an important way for a new generation to learn about and preserve the memory of a day that profoundly affected the nation and the world.
Students can also commemorate the anniversary of 9/11 through service opportunities on campus and throughout the community through the Sycamore Service Saturdays. Here is a link to those opportunities!
For Indiana State, the annual display continues a tradition built around remembrance, service and community.
To learn more about the Office of Student Activities and Organizations, click here.