HSU Recognizes Veterans with Special Ceremony

This Veteran’s Day, Hardin-Simmons University’s Social Work Club held a special recognition ceremony to honor those current students and alumni who served our country. The ceremony was student-led by Mrs. Brittney Pierce, an HSU student, and Navy veteran.

“Being a Veteran of the United States Navy, this event is especially important to me. I have been at HSU for three years, and Veteran’s Day has never been officially celebrated on campus in this way. We have many Veterans on our campus, students, and faculty. This event is an opportunity for the Hardin-Simmons community to show our support and extend our gratitude to our HSU veterans and say, Thank you for your service, and we are here for you.”

President Eric Bruntmyer gave the opening remarks as he thanked our veterans and recounted his brother’s story as a veteran who struggled with PTSD.

A white horse rider, carrying the American flag, stood as a backdrop on Anderson Lawn, where a small crowd of about 50 people gathered to pay their respects.

The special service included a presentation of certificates and pins to each of the ten veterans in attendance.

P.J. Martinez, Director of Student Engagement, also honored Albert G. Maroscher, a Romanian immigrant, Vietnam veteran, ROTC graduate, and former HSU professor, who was killed in action defending his country. The flagpole on Anderson Lawn and accompanying plaque are in dedication to him.

Dr. Kelvin Kelly, associate professor of Theology, offered a prayer of remembrance at the close of the service.

“The HSU Social Work Club desired to honor and celebrate the Veterans of our university and community as they have served us all so well, with bravery and honor. We currently and historically have veteran students in the Social Work Department as majors and leave our university with a new opportunity to serve as Social Workers in the community. We are blessed and grateful for their service and their sacrifices and elected to take the opportunity to celebrate them in this student-led ceremony.” – Mrs. Lauren Cantrell, Assistant Professor of Social Work, Social Work Club Faculty Sponsor

The social work club hopes to keep this as an annual event to celebrate our campus Veterans.