Rutgers Edge Newsletter
Advancing Impact. Amplifying Innovation. Building the Edge.
September 11, 2026 Issue
A Solemn Anniversary
In a year marking America’s 250th birthday and the freedom and opportunity that our nation stands for, it is sobering that today we also observe a major anniversary of one of our darkest days. Twenty-five years ago, terrorists attacked our nation aboard four separate hijacked airplanes and killed nearly 3,000 people at the World Trade Center, at the Pentagon, and in rural Pennsylvania.
This national tragedy was also a Rutgers tragedy. Among the victims that day were 37 of our own alumni, and their names are listed below. To honor them, we rang the historic Old Queens bell this morning as 37 American flags were placed near their memorial plaque on the Old Queens campus.
We continue to grieve all the souls we lost that day, as well as those people who have died subsequently of various causes related to the aftermath of 9/11. We treasure the heroism of the passengers on Flight 93 who prevented one of the four planes from reaching its intended target. We remember in a special way the courage of those first responders who selflessly rushed into the towers to rescue others.
I was humbled to learn about the role that Rutgers has continued to play in supporting the survivors and first responders. For the past 23 years, the Rutgers University World Trade Center Health Program at our Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute has been providing responders and survivors with medical monitoring, treatment, and mental health services.
Rutgers Today’s recent story highlights the incredible work of this program, which has treated more than 6,500 individuals for conditions ranging from respiratory diseases to cancers to depression and anxiety.
On such a somber day, it is important to celebrate the generosity of spirit that so many good people demonstrated when tragedy struck that morning, and the inspiring ways the victims and heroes continue to be remembered. As a powerful example, the family of 1998 alumnus Neil G. Shastri endowed a fund in his memory to benefit Rutgers Future Scholars—a beautiful tribute to his life by giving other young people the opportunity to earn a Rutgers degree.
May these examples of heroism, compassion, and generosity in the aftermath of unspeakable terror inspire more good works in the years to come, here at Rutgers and around the world.
Rutgers alumni victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001
Paul A. Acquaviva RC’94
Evan J. Baron NCAS’81
David O. Campbell RC’72, GSM’74
Alexander H. Chiang GSNB’82
John R. Cruz RC’93
Brian T. Cummins GSN’91
Gavin F. Cushny UCN’85
Michael A. Davidson LC’97
Jayceryll M. de Chavez LC’99
Michael A. Diaz-Piedra III NCAS’74
Patrick J. Driscoll GSNB’75
Judy Santillan Fernandez UCNB’97
Stephen J. Fiorelli ENG’80
Colleen L. Fraser LC’74
Jeffrey B. Gardner CC’87
Alayne Friedenreich Gentul RC’78
Barry H. Glick NCAS’63
Richard J. Guadagno CC’84
Charles H. Karczewski RC’89
Brendan Mark Lang LC’89
James A. Martello LC’83
Brian E. Martineau NCAS’88
Michael J. McCabe UCNB’83
Ming-Hao Liu GSNB’89
Virginia A. Ormiston ENG’81
Patrick J. Quigley RC’82
Dominique L. Pandolfo RC’96
Jon A. Perconti LC’93
Donald A. Peterson GSM’67
Tom B. Reinig GSM’78
Richard D. Rosenthal GSM’75
Maria Theresa Santillan NCAS’96
Scott M. Schertzer LC’97
Neil G. Shastri RC/SBNB’98
Michael C. Sorresse NCAS’89
Kristine Marie Swearson UCNB’96
Gregory K. Wachtler RC’98
Past Newsletters
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"The 250th anniversary of our nation coinciding with the 260th anniversary of Rutgers’ founding is apt timing to reflect on this simple but powerful promise: that talent and effort, not circumstance, should determine how far someone can go."
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"To better understand public perceptions, the university commissioned polling expert Patrick Murray to survey residents and businesses across New Jersey. The results reveal a very positive image of Rutgers and strong recognition that the university provides meaningful value to the state, warranting continued support."
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"Asking great questions fosters more informed decision-making, stronger trust and credibility, higher engagement and ownership, clearer problem-framing, continuous learning and adaptability, better talent development, and a healthier organizational culture."
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"Future generations will ask: Did we denounce threats, incitement of violence, physical intimidation, and the destruction or defacement of university property, and did we protect academic activities on campus from disruption? These acts cannot be tolerated. We must be vigilant to ensure we are on the right side of history."
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"We all have a responsibility to model how to engage in difficult arguments without resorting to silencing others, harassment, or threats of harm or violence. The university must remain a place where ideas—popular or unpopular—can be tested through reason, evidence, and debate. Truth emerges not from uniformity but from the contest of ideas."
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"Rutgers’ value is not simply in sentiment—it is measurable. Our university contributes more than $5 billion annually to New Jersey’s economy, sustains jobs in every corner of the state, and drives innovation with over 800 active technology licenses. This is the Rutgers Edge: the combination of research, innovation, education, and service that ripples across all 21 counties of New Jersey and beyond, pushing us to the edge of new possibilities."
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"Rutgers' Edge lies not just in what we do, but how we do it together. We battle. In these past two weeks, we’ve seen leaders fighting to reinstate federal grant funding; a new Athletic Director earning strong reviews for her past successes and a winning introductory press conference; Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care offering targeted mental health support to students and families in school districts across the state; and ScarletWell’s efforts to promote student well-being and health featured in national media."