Students, faculty, staff and veterans gathered on the Glenn Terrell Friendship Mall on Monday morning to observe a moment of silence for those who died and served during the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.

All buildings on and off campus lowered their flags in solidarity.

Alexis Nordman, a student ambassador for Mission 22, a volunteer organization which offers services for PTSD and mental health issues for veterans, stood on the steps for most of the day with a poster she and the ASWSU Student Veterans Committee created.

The poster depicted an American flag and the Twin Towers with the message “Never Forget.”

“I would like people to remember where they are,” she said. “This is America.”

Nordman, who has several family members who are veterans, said her hope for the 9/11 piece is to promote patriotism at WSU, with the idea that those on campus would unite in solidarity over the tragic event.

Nordman described the responses she received over the demonstration as positive, with students coming up to the poster to offer her coffee or water throughout the day.

Along with Nordman, other members of the Student Veterans Committee took turns to ensure someone was standing beside the poster for most of the day.

Jared Lee, a Veteran Corps navigator through the Department of Veteran Affairs and a member of the Student Veterans Committee, was also at the demonstration. He said he joined the Marine Corps in 2011 and understands the stigmas regarding the military.

Being a Vet Corps navigator, he encourages interactions between student veterans and faculty, staff, and administration. He said he hopes to spread the message that student veterans are also human and should be treated like anyone else.

“Not all vets are victims,” Lee said.