Rutgers SPAA Remembers 9/11 – 20 Years Later: A Public Administrator Perspective
To mark the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Rutgers SPAA hosted a remembrance panel with alumni and community partners to reflect on the importance of being a public servant amidst a tragic situation. Panelists shared their perspectives on the events of that day, and the lessons in diversity, competency, knowledge, ethics, and service that emerged through the process of collaborative rebuilding and healing. SPAA alumni Michael Brown (MPA’05) and Anthony Gardner (MPA’09), and Margarita Gravesande, a community partner of the school, participated as panelists and the session was moderated by the director of public engagement at Rutgers SPAA, Sharon Stroye.
The event lead off with remarks by Stroye and Rutgers SPAA Dean Charles Menifield talking about how they remembered their whereabouts as the events unfolded. The panel then opened with Gravesande sharing her recollection of the day. Currently the customer service specialist at Piramal Glass, Gravesande is a community partner to SPAA, notable for her important volunteer work supporting high schools through providing resources and training to both students and their parents.
On Sept. 11, 2001, as the director of customer service at ADP Brokerage Financial Services, Gravesande's office was four blocks away from the World Trade Center towers. In her poignant remarks, Gravesande recalled the selfless service of strangers who helped her in leaving the scene and returning to her family in New Jersey. The disbelief and chaos of the events brought people together as they fought through the confusion to connect with each other to help. "Everyone was trying to do so much to help out another person," she said. Her takeaway from those pivotal events centered around the compassion necessary to listen to people and their stories, and allow them to share perspectives authentic to them. This resonated in her message to SPAA students as she urged them to show compassion and honor all without expecting anything in return, to achieve accountable and reliable public service.
The values of service and sacrifice were echoed by Brown, associate director at the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He has a long history of federal service and leadership roles managing policy, strategy, and research after earning his MPA from Rutgers SPAA. The topics of terrorism and targeted violence prevention are personal to Brown, as he lost his father in terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 1985 when he was 9 years old. He noted the urge to help in any possible way because of what happened to his father and then the events of 9/11 being motivation for his foray into public service.
Gardner, director of communications and external affairs at September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, has worked on 9/11 related issues since 2001. In honor of his brother Harvey, who worked in the North Tower and was killed during the attacks, he established the September 11 Education Trust, and served as an advisor on the 9/11 Memorial & Museum planning efforts. He was a vocal advocate for the preservation of the footprints of the towers, which now serve as the setting of the museum's primary exhibitions. "9/11 was the result of the worst of humanity," he said. "But the best of humanity responded to it in the actions of the people we lost that day and those who came who were witness to it and those who came to serve and help others in need."
When asked about the greatest lessons from 9/11 that SPAA students and future leaders can draw on, the panelists agreed on the importance of civic engagement and participation and public service, and understanding to put others before ourselves in our public lives.
"9/11 was not this static event that happened 20 years ago," said Gardner. "The repercussions are ongoing. The stories of resilience and the stories of service have the power to inspire the generations to come." He encouraged students to continue to look to the past to find inspiration to do the important work that lies ahead.
Brown said that hard conversations have to be had so we can continue to connect past our divisions. "Connection matters and that is where we are going to get our strength," he said.
Gravesande reinforced the need to ask "what can I do" and to connect and use the resources we have. “Do more listening. And listening not just with our ears but with our hearts," she said. "Sometimes people need your support that might not come out and say it."