Dear Members of the Monmouth University Community:
At the 11th hour, on the 11th day, in the 11th month of the year, we Americans pause and recognize our men and women in uniform – past and present – who have defended our freedom and constitutional rights. On this Veterans Day 2020 all of the members of the Monmouth University community join me in thanking them for their service to our country.
Today, especially, we thank all of the veterans who are part of Monmouth University, including the students, faculty, staff, and alumni whose public service continues to enhance the character of our community. In recent years our veterans have inspired new academic and outreach efforts including: our Military Bridge Program; a long collaboration with Frontline Paper; and the Coming Home Project, grounded in our School of Social Work. These are initiatives at Monmouth of which I am very proud.
I would also like to thank Michael Callahan, our director of Veteran Services and Student Support, for organizing today’s virtual Veterans Day ceremony at 11:30 a.m. I hope you will join me at that time to hear from Michael and two more of our veterans – Michael Eck ’18 and Joshua Hartman ’22 – each of whom have served our country and university community in exemplary ways.
Please join me in thanking our men and women in the armed forces whose heroism protects our great nation. May their selfless acts inspire our own.
Dr. Patrick F. Leahy
President