On September 11, 2001 nine alumni, as well as a former member of the Board of Trustees and his wife, lost their lives as a result of an act of terror. The NJIT family continues to share a deep sense of loss that has not lessened over the past two years. A sense of loss that will remain with us as we remember these individuals, their families, and the tragic events of 9/11. Today, we dedicate a plaque in the NJIT Memorial Peace Garden in honor – and in memory – of these individuals.

In the two years since 9/11, we have all heard – and experienced – powerfully expressed emotions evoked by the attack on the World Trade Center and the deaths of so many people. Much has been said, and many have expressed words of shock, sorrow and anger.

For decades to come, we will be seeking the right words – the right language – to help us heal and comprehend what happened two years ago in New York City. While such attempts are appropriate, we must focus even more on actions in the aftermath of 9/11 if we are to counter the destructive ignorance manifested so terribly on that day. It is imperative that people around the globe work toward greater understanding and greater appreciation of our differences – the lack of which was so clearly the cause of the fanaticism and intolerance in evidence on September 11, two years ago.

It is easy to talk about understanding and tolerance. But as the author James Baldwin has written, “It takes enormous and, above all, individual effort to arrive at the respect for other people that these words imply.” We are committed to those deeds and actions here at NJIT.

On our campus, you will find students not only from across the United States, but from more than a hundred countries. They come from many different cultural backgrounds and bring many perspectives to our common pursuit of learning and the discovery of new knowledge. Living and working together in this environment fosters respect for the different ways in which each of us views the human experience.

For the first anniversary of 9/11, our students suggested and planted the Memorial Peace Garden to communicate the heartfelt message “May Peace Prevail on Earth.” This message clearly and strongly asserts both respect for diversity and an awareness that we are all united by the same hopes for a better future. This year, in the spirit of helping to achieve that future together, our division of career development and community services invites members of the NJIT family to pledge an individual act of kindness, such as mentoring a student on campus or helping at a community food bank.

We must take whatever action we can as individuals to bring about the future desired by the vast majority of people in this country and every other nation. The alumni named on the plaque we are here to dedicate were graduates who had acquired knowledge with the power to change the world in positive ways. It is my hope that every student now at NJIT will apply with uncompromised resolve the power of knowledge they gain here and throughout life toward building a more prosperous and peaceful world. In doing so, they continue to honor those members of the NJIT community who perished on September 11, 2001 and are commemorated in the plaque to my right. Paul Beatini, Eddie Wing-Wai Ching, Patrick Hoey, Edward Keane, Franco Lalama, Kleber Molina, Francesco Riccardelli, George Strauch, Mark Zangrilli, and Jean and Donald Peterson.