Sept. 11 of each year has been a day held in remembrance of the victims of the terrorist attacks in 2001 that took the lives of 2,997 people in New York City, Washington D.C. and the passengers on Flight 93. So on Sept. 9, Robert Morris University’s College Republicans set out to honor those lives lost in the event by setting up a field of flags on the Nicholson Front Lawn.

Selene Cerankosky, a member of the College Republicans, said that they displayed 2,997 flags along Nicholson Front Lawn to represent the 2,997 victims of that day. Alana Hiner, a member of the College Republicans, said in an email interview that the entire process took four hours to complete.

“You can kind of imagine if all of these flags were people, it would be pretty overwhelming,” said Cerankosky. There were also signs displayed along the sidewalks, leading to the entrance of Nicholson, that contained facts about the day. Cerankosky said, “Some of them will really get to you.”

The attacks on 9/11 are remembered by the students, staff and faculty at RMU, and the College Republicans set up the flags each year to help the remembrance.

Hiner said in her interview that this is the 10th year that the College Republicans have held this event and said, “This is a young conservative organization that we are happy to join up with on this special project.”

“I want them to leave with a solemn mindset remembering that that easily could have been me,” said Paul Schink, member of the College Republicans.

Students can honor the victims of 9/11 by taking the time to walk through the Nicholson Front Lawn and admire the Field of Flags display.