Pitt-Johnstown has received a piece of American history.

A steel beam from the World Trade Center recovered from New York City’s Ground Zero was donated to the university by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.

The beam is being used as part of a memorial next to Whalley Chapel, that also contains 12 marble tablets.

The tablets list the names of the 2,977 victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Also, the tablets contain the names of several thousand U.S. military personnel killed in the current Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

One tablet has been left empty to allow for more names to be added to the memorial as the wars continue.

According to a Physical Plant employee who would not identify himself, the memorial is a permanent addition to campus and is almost completed.

However, many students are not even aware that the memorial exists.

“I had no idea there’s a memorial,” said freshman Troy Schall.

Though the memorial is clearly visible, some students like, junior Amber Emery, expected a formal announcement to be made.

“The campus needs to bring awareness that it does exist. I think it’s important to have it on campus because we are so close to flight 93, they need to make people aware.”

There is to be an official unveiling of the as of Sunday fenced off memorial, but the date has yet to be determined, according to the unidentified employee.

University Spokesman Bob Knipple was not available for comment.