Fredonia is celebrating its 11th Veterans Remembrance Ceremony on Friday, Nov. 9, at 3:30 p.m., in the Williams Center Multipurpose Room.
The celebration got its start due to the growing number of student veterans on the Fredonia campus. Seeing the need for more programs for this increasing population, the event was created to support these veterans, as well as their families.
“Fredonia is a military-friendly school, and this is one way that Fredonia shows it,” said Mark Mackey, the chair of the Veterans Recognition Committee and residential technology coordinator on campus.
Currently, Fredonia employs 36 veterans and the Faculty Student Association employs five. There are a total of 27 student veterans who attend Fredonia at present.
The ceremony will recognize all veterans. President Virginia Horvath will speak, and the Veteran Scholarships will be given. These scholarships include the Enrollment and Student Services Scholarship, the Courage and Honor Scholarship and the Fredonia Veterans Scholarship.
The Enrollment and Student Services Scholarship recognizes six students. The recipients this year include Dakota Dugan, a sophomore Music Education and flute Music Performance major who is presently serving in the U.S. Army Reserves; Ryan Dustin, a junior Criminal Justice major who is serving in the U.S. Army Reserves; Joshua Goodwin, a first-year Psychology major who served in the U.S. Marine Corps; Andrew Masiello, a senior Business major who is currently serving in the U.S. Air Force National Guard; Mikayla Reynolds, a first-year Spanish major who is currently serving the U.S. Navy Reserves; and Jeremy Soto, a junior Social Work major who served in the U.S. Navy.
The Courage and Honor Scholarship was supported by President Horvath and Chief Master Sergeant Gerald M. Cheney, her uncle who served in the U.S. Air Force. It recognizes any full-time student who is serving or was discharged honorably from any branch of the military with a 3.0 minimum GPA. This year, Yeidy Santiago-Bermudez, a junior Business Administration major currently serving in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, has been awarded the scholarship.
The Fredonia Veterans Scholarship is awarded to full-time students who have had outstanding academic achievements and are earning veterans’ educational benefits. This year, two students are being recognized: Benjamin Farley, a sophomore Social Studies Adolescence Education and History major who is serving in the U.S. Navy Reserves; and Jeremy Lilga, a junior Criminal Justice major who served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
The event is free and open to the public. Anyone who wishes to celebrate veterans in the U.S., as well as on campus, is invited to attend.
