Kent State University held its annual Veterans Day Commemoration in person at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 10, at Risman Plaza on the Kent Campus. Risman Plaza is located in front of the Kent Student Center.
The program, titled “Honoring All Those Who Serve,” included a flag-raising ceremony conducted by a joint color guard from Kent State’s Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC programs on the Student Green at Risman Plaza; Tim Coyne, senior business manager for Kent State’s Division of Student Affairs, serving as bugler; the national anthem performed by Kent State’s Army and Air Force ROTC programs; the “Service Song Medley”; an invocation; and welcome remarks from Kent State President Todd Diacon. Serving as emcee was Lt. Col. Christian Grimm of Kent State’s Airforce ROTC program.
This year’s keynote speaker was state Rep. Haraz Ghanbari. He was appointed in March 2019 and is serving his first full term in the Ohio House of Representatives after being elected in November 2020. He represents the 3rd House District, which encompasses all of Wood County. Ghanbari has dedicated his life to serving others and has more than two decades of military service. He is a Navy veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Inherent Resolve, and he is an Army veteran of Operation Joint Forge in Bosnia. Promoted to lieutenant commander on Sept. 1, 2018, he currently serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve.
The Nov. 10 event was also livestreamed at www.kent.edu/veteransday.
For more information about Kent State’s Veterans Day Commemoration, visit www.kent.edu/veteransday.
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Media Contacts:
Eric Mansfield, emansfie@kent.edu, 330-672-2797
Emily Vincent, evincen2@kent.edu, 330-672-8595