Drexel Honors Veterans With a Week of Activities
To celebrate Veterans Day, the Office of Veteran Student Services and members of the Drexel Veterans Task Force scheduled a variety of programs, called Veterans Appreciation Week, to celebrate our veterans and military families and thank them for their service.
Drexel has a long history of receiving and promoting veterans on campus. The University has trained members of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps for decades: from the beginning of the 20th century until 1969, all male Drexel students were required to participate in ROTC and Drexel was one of the first to create a program allowing women to enroll in ROTC with the same scholarships and benefits as men. More recently, Drexel has received “military friendly campus” accolades for years, from participating in the post-9/11 Yellow Ribbon commitment to just recently scoring higher than ever in a “Best for Vets” college ranking list.
“Drexel’s military history is long and honorable,” said Rebecca Weidensaul, PhD, assistant vice president of Student Life in the Office of the Dean of Students. “Today’s ROTC cadets, student-veterans, employee veterans and alumni veterans have a great deal to be proud of as they continue an important legacy.”
Currently, Drexel has over 800 student-veterans and 200 military dependents, as well as 400 alumni-veterans in the Drexel Veterans Colleague Resource Group. In the days leading up to Veterans Day, Drexel will honor these veterans through a variety of programming meant to highlight and celebrate their service.
“To create a genuine and palpable military friendly campus ethos, it is important to bring people together to support our military students, faculty, professional staff and alumni; learn more about their experiences and build traditions like the Veterans Day Tribute to share our pride and patriotism,” said Weidensaul.
Here are the events happening as part of Drexel’s Veterans Appreciation Week.
Sunday, Nov. 6:
11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.: City of Philadelphia Veterans Day Parade
The Drexel Veterans Association and members of the Veterans Task Force will represent Drexel University in the 2nd annual Philadelphia Veterans Day Parade. All veterans and military dependents at Drexel (faculty, staff and alumni) are welcomed to march in the parade behind the Drexel banner and receive a commemorative T-shirt. Meet at the designated location in Center City at 11 a.m. and begin the 30-minute march through the city at noon. The parade ends at 5th and Market streets with a celebration. Register for the parade here.
Monday, Nov. 7:
Now through Dec. 15 Military Care Package Drive
The Drexel University Veterans Task Force members are holding their 8th Annual Military Care Package Drive with a new focus this year: sending 125 boxes to the troops in honor of Drexel’s 125th anniversary. The Task Force will provide interested departments and individuals with USPS boxes to pack with non-perishable items to send to active duty military to enjoy over the holidays while they are deployed. Boxes will be available at the Office of Veteran Student Services, which is located in Creese 215. The task force is also accepting names and addresses of active duty military personnel to receive packages. The drive will last until Dec. 15 and culminate in a "packaging party” on Dec. 20 from 9–11 a.m. at Behrakis Grand Hall. Later that day, the holiday drive will culminate in a historic and festive post office delivery with a “Dragon Line” consisting of members of the Drexel community running from Creese to the post office to help ensure a proper send-off for these boxes going to our very special service members. Register for the event here.
12–1 p.m.: Campus Military Affiliated Networking Lunch
The Veterans Colleague Resource group at Drexel will hold a military friendly networking lunch for faculty, staff and students who have military service or are from military families.
Wednesday, Nov. 9:
12–1 p.m.: Military Friendly Campus Lunch and Learn
Human Resources will host this interactive lunch, entitled “Working with Military Students.”
Thursday, Nov. 10:
12–1 p.m.: Thank You For Your Service Luncheon for Campus Veterans
The Center for Hospitality Management is hosting the first 40 veterans who RSVP for a free lunch in honor of their service. RSVP is required and can be done here.
5–7 p.m.: Celebrating Military Families (Panel)
This panel will showcase student-veterans, employees and alumni who have served in the US Military. Panelists will share their unique stories of service and how they shaped their careers and family lives.
There will be a pre-panel reception with light refreshments and networking at 5 p.m. followed by the panel program beginning at 6 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 11:
9:30–11 a.m.: Drexel ROTC Hall of Fame Ceremony
Professor of Military Science Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence F. Camacho in the Drexel University Army ROTC requests the pleasure of your company at the Drexel ROTC Hall of Fame Ceremony. The ceremony coincides with Drexel’s 125th anniversary commemoration weekend and Veterans Day Tribute. You are also invited to stay for a light lunch at 11:30 a.m. followed by our Veterans Day Tribute beginning at noon.
11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.: Veterans Day Tribute
Come for a light lunch at 11:30 a.m. followed by the Veterans Day Tribute at noon. This gathering has become a tradition at Drexel and is coordinated by the Office of Veteran Student Services and Army ROTC. The annual tribute includes military traditions and protocol, patriotic music and reflections. This year, the keynote speaker is former U.S. Army Col. and Drexel ’72 alumnus Thomas Matthews who led American troops through the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, which was immortalized in the book and movie “Black Hawk Down.”
6:30–8:30 p.m.: Women’s Basketball and Drexel Athletics Salute America’s Veterans
During the home Women's Basketball game against Penn State University, the Veterans Task Force and Army ROTC will acknowledge U.S. veterans on Veterans Day.