We Thank and Honor Our Veterans

November 11, 2020

Members of the Rutgers Community,

On the day our nation pays tribute to the bravery and service of all those who have served in the U.S. armed forces, I want to celebrate our hundreds of military-affiliated students across Rutgers, as well as those on our faculty and staff and among our alumni who have served in uniform.

While I am new to Rutgers, I have spent a lifetime in awe of our women and men in uniform. My father served for twenty years in the Air Force, retiring as a lieutenant colonel and an instructor at what was then known as the Air War College. Through his work, my father taught me about integrity, discipline, and the commitment to service. I know our Rutgers veterans have learned these same lessons and have carried them forward into their civilian lives.

Our veteran community at Rutgers enhances our diversity—in age, race and ethnicity, and gender. The achievements of our student veterans—in the classroom, in their extracurricular involvement, and later as Rutgers alumni—further enhance our reputation for excellence and access. We are proud of these dedicated Rutgers students and committed to providing them the services and support they need to succeed. The university’s consistent ranking among the Military Times’ top 15 four-year colleges for veterans, and Rutgers–Camden’s status as our state’s first Purple Heart University, provide evidence of our constant effort to give student veterans the opportunities at Rutgers they strongly deserve.  A new webpage highlights veterans’ programs across all our campuses.

Rutgers has educated generations of servicemen and women—from Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Jack Jacobs to former U.S. Army Judge Adjutant General Flora Darpino to newly commissioned Nuclear Submarine Officer Esa Rao from the Class of 2020, to name a few. We have a long tradition of honoring the service of our students. Today we honor that service by joining with a grateful nation in saluting you in a special way as we observe Veterans Day.

Finally, to any veterans or family members who are facing challenges, remember you have places to turn. Our Office of Veteran & Military Programs and Services, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, and University Behavioral Health Care’s Vets4Warriors hotline all offer important resources and support services for those who have served and their families.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Holloway
President and University Professor