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THE PEPPERDINE GRAPHIC Volume LIV
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Issue 2
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September 15, 2023
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pepperdine-graphic.com
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follow us @peppgraphic
9/11
Remembrance
Skyler Hawkins | Lead Designer Mary Elisabeth | Photo Editor
Ceremony
‘One Nation Under God’: Pepperdine honors the 22nd anniversary of 9/11 Ava Heinert News Assistant 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
THE WAVES REPORT
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
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that morning and gave their lives to help others,” Cosentino said. Cosentino took this time to ask all active-duty military and first responders to stand for applause. Active-duty military sits in the audience of the 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony on Sept. 11. Lauren Cosentino asked for all active-duty military and first responders to stand. Tim Spivey, associate vice president for spiritual life, followed with a prayer over the ceremony. “This is a day etched into the fabric of our nation’s history,” Spivey said. “A day when tragedy and heroism intertwined, forever changing the course of our lives in our world.” Pepperdine remembrance ceremony speakers stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance on Sept. 11. Caruso School of Law student Samantha Jones recited The Pledge of Allegiance. Hung Le, senior vice chancellor for alumni affairs, read scripture from
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Romans 12:9-10. He said to let God’s light of love shine through the darkness of hate. “Let this memorial be a reflection of God’s light in and through us,” Le said. “The light on the hill, calling the world to goodness, to peace, to freedom and to hope.” Leshinsky, an Air Force veteran, said though darkness and evil had their way that day, shortly after, there was unity. “Millions joined together in prayer for the lost and the injured,” Leshinksy said. “Priority shifted back to the basics to what matters most: family, friends, God.” Our world is still full of darkness, but the light will always shine through, Leshinsky said. Gash said one of the reasons Pepperdine chose Pratt as the keynote speaker was because of a post Pratt made to Instagram in 2022 after he saw the dis-
See REMEMBRANCE | A6
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