Early this morning, students and staff placed 168 American flags and 168 Oklahoma flags on the front lawn entrance of Oklahoma Christian University.
Every year on April 19 and Sept. 11 the flags are displayed to remember the victims and survivors of the Oklahoma City Bombing and the attacks on 9/11.
Kerri Cunningham, executive director of Events Management, is in charge of the display every year.
“President deSteiguer saw something similar when he went to a Pepperdine event in California, and when he came back he wanted to do it for our campus to remember those who were affected by the bombing at here in Oklahoma,” Cunningham said.
The Field of Flags display is put on twice a year.
“We do it on September 11 to kind of honor those who were effected in New York,” Cunningham said. “We also do it on April 19 to remember those in Oklahoma.”
Oklahoma Christian also remembers these two events through the two survivor trees between the Mabee Learning Center and the Gaylord University Center. This is the only site outside of New York City to have survivor trees from the Murrah Federal Building site and the World Trade Center side by side.
“The New York tree, actual DNA of the tree, means it is the cutting from the tree,” Dean of Students Neil Arter said. “There were only 10 of them they took, and this is the only one that left the ground zero area. We are lucky to have it here.”
Arter said these trees symbolize a connection between New York City and Oklahoma City based on their tragic events.
“Whenever you have a tragedy occur, you are always looking for a way to remember what happened,” Arter said. “And the trees really represent strength. It reminds us how strong the people in Oklahoma City and New York are, and how they were able to bounce back from such a tragedy.
Junior Becca Yoder said the Field of Flags is an important symbol to the community.
“I think it is important that they remember that, because our whole city — Oklahoma City, Edmond — has been really touched or affected, we know from first hand experience what it’s like to be attacked,” Yoder said.
Cunningham said it is important to reflect on the lives lost and the lives changed by these events.
“We just don’t want to forget those who lost their lives, and we just want to remember that terrorism is real,” Cunningham said. “And it affected so many lives, so we don’t want to forget those people who were affected by it.”
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