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Eastern to host Veterans Day ceremony with VA Commissioner Ronald Welch

by Michael Rouleau

Willimantic, CT (11/04/2024) — Eastern Connecticut State University invites the public to its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Nov. 11 at 9:00 a.m. in the Student Center Lobby. The event will honor and celebrate the service and sacrifices of veteran students, faculty, staff and family members, as well as recognize all who have bravely served in the United States military.

This year's ceremony will feature guest speaker Ronald P. Welch, a 1992 Eastern graduate and commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as remarks by Eastern President Karim Ismaili, who is amid his inaugural semester as the University's seventh president.

The ceremony will include a tribute featuring photos submitted of Eastern faculty, students, staff and family members who are veterans or actively serving. Each image will be displayed along with the locations of military deployments and trainings, creating a powerful visual map highlighting the places where Eastern community members and their families have served.

The program will feature remarks by distinguished guests and performances to commemorate the occasion:

  • Welcome and introduction by Angela Bazin, director of Wellness Education Outreach and Veteran Care.
  • Presentation of Colors by local cadets: Jack Kulpa, Camden Carpenter, Alessandro Solla, Aidan Hall, and Brandon Alvarez.
  • National Anthem performed by the Eastern Concert Chorale.
  • Reflections led by Pastor Paul Doyle.
  • President's remarks by Dr. Karim Ismaili.
  • Keynote address by Commissioner Ronald P. Welch, Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs, Brigadier General (Ret.), who served full-time in the U.S. Army as an Airborne Ranger. Welch, who overcame a severe parachute accident and served 39 years with the Connecticut National Guard, will share his insights on service, resilience and dedication. His extensive experience also includes contributions to Homeland Security and emergency response missions.
  • Closing remarks by Sergeant Julian Brown.

Eastern is honored to present this program and to recognize the courage and dedication of veterans within and beyond the university community. Members of the Eastern family and local community are invited to join this special event in tribute to those who have served and continue to serve with pride and selflessness.

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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 25 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024-25 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 15 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

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