Reflecting on September 11: A Message on Community and Ordinary Courage

• President
• Community Engagement

Dear Adelphi Community,

On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was exactly where many of you will be tomorrow: in an Adelphi classroom.

At the time, I was serving as a New York state senator, but I was also an adjunct faculty member here, teaching a political science course. When I received a call that the planes had hit the World Trade Center, time seemed to stand still. In that classroom, fear, confusion and grief washed over us, but so did a profound sense of shared humanity. We navigated the terrifying news together, and the indelible bond that formed between me and my students that morning is something I carry with me to this day.

In the heartbreaking weeks that followed, the true toll of the tragedy settled over our region. I attended dozens of funerals for constituents, neighbors and friends. The sorrow was immeasurable, yet even in the darkest moments, flashes of profound light emerged. I will never forget standing outside a church during one such funeral procession when the soft, clear voices of young students from a neighboring Catholic school drifted out of their open classroom windows. They were singing "God Bless America." It was a simple, spontaneous offering of comfort that pierced the heavy silence and reminded us of the enduring beauty of the human spirit.

What stood out most to me in the aftermath of 9/11 was not only the monumental heroism of our first responders, but the quiet courage of everyday people. In the days and weeks after the attacks, I visited Long Island Rail Road stations in the early mornings simply to say "thank you" to the commuters. Stepping back onto a train and traveling into a city whose skyline was still smoldering took a special kind of bravery. It was an act of extraordinary determination and refusal to let terror dictate their lives.

I share these memories today especially for our current students, many of whom were not yet born or are too young to remember that Tuesday morning. For their generation, September 11 is a historical event, but I hope they will also view it as a profound lesson in how communities respond to the unthinkable.

You do not need to wear a uniform or rush into a burning building to be brave. Courage is often found in the resolve to keep moving forward, to lend a voice of comfort to those who are grieving, and to show up for your community when it is hardest to do so.

Please consider joining our community in solidarity with the victims and families impacted by this tragedy at one of the following events:

• September 11, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.-25th Anniversary of September 11 Memorial Prayer Service on the Flagpole Lawn
• September 11, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.-National Day of Service: Students, faculty and staff, in partnership with Long Island Cares, will assemble care packages for veterans at the Ruth S. Harley University Center, Rooms 113 and 115
• September 12, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.-Trip to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum led by the Division of Student Affairs
• September 14, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.-Blood Drive at the Ruth S. Harley University Center, Thomas Dixon Lovely Ballroom
• September 15 through October 18, 2026-An exhibition of artwork inspired by the September 11 tragedy created by sculptor and educator Christopher Saucedo, Adelphi professor of art and art history, who lost his brother Gregory, a firefighter, in the attacks

Tomorrow, as we pause to remember the thousands of lives lost and the heroes who gave everything, I ask that we also reflect on the power of ordinary courage. Let us honor the memory of September 11 by extending grace to one another, by cherishing the bonds we share here at Adelphi, and by finding our own quiet ways to be brave.

Sincerely,

Michael Balboni '81, JD
President