“One Nation Under God”: Pepperdine Honors the 22nd Anniversary of 9/11 with Annual Remembrance Ceremony
By: Ava Heinert
On the cloudy morning of Sept. 11, 2023, Pepperdine faculty and students honored guests joined together to commemorate those who lost their lives on 9/11 in front of Pepperdine’s annual Waves of Flags display.
This year Pepperdine held the 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony with remarks from President Jim Gash, Director of Student Veteran Affairs Eric Leshinsky and honoree actor-producer Chris Pratt. Pepperdine has held annual 9/11 ceremonies since 2002.
“We’re the United States of America,” Pratt said “When we are one nation under God, we are indivisible. Let us never forget that lest it be lost. To the heroes and the victims of 9/11 and their families, we salute you. To the next generation, we need you. God bless America.”
The display features 2,977 flags, one for each of the lives lost on 9/11 and one flag for each country that lost a citizen. The Waves of Flags display has been a nationally recognized Pepperdine tradition since 2008. Pepperdine Alumni Ryan Sawtelle (’09) and Chris Garcia (’11) first brought the idea to Former President Andrew K. Benton in 2006, and 18 months later, it became a reality, according to previous Graphic reporting.
Lauren Cosentino, vice president for Advancement and chief development officer, opened the Remembrance Ceremony. She said, although what is being remembered on this day is somber, attendees could also be reminded of this school year’s chosen theme of light.
“That light shone in acts of heroism through the police, the fire crews, the rescue workers and also the co-workers, the neighbors, and friends, all sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, wives and husbands and mothers and fathers who ran toward the darkness that morning and gave their lives to help others,” Cosentino said.
