Kent State Honors Veterans With Annual Commemoration Event

Kent State University held its annual Veterans Day Commemoration on Thursday, Nov. 7, in the Kent Student Center Kiva.

A member of the Kent State Veterans Club distributes American flags in the lobby of the Kent Student Center Kiva prior to the start of the university’s annual Veterans Day observance.

The program, Honoring All Those Who Serve, included a flag-raising ceremony conducted by a joint color guard from the Army and Air Force ROTC programs on the Student Green at Risman Plaza, the national anthem performed by Corinne VanNatta, the “Service Song Medley,” an invocation by Rev. John Schluep and remarks from Kent State President Todd Diacon.

Serving as master of ceremonies was N.J. Akbar, Ph.D. Akbar is an Army veteran who currently serves as assistant dean of University College at Kent State. He is responsible for the strategic academic success of students from limited income and racially diverse backgrounds who are first in their families to attend college.

This year’s guest speaker was Lt. Col. Colleen VanNatta. A graduate of Kent State’s Air Force ROTC detachment, VanNatta served as a media escort for joint information bureaus in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, during Operation Desert Storm. She was also the first female public affairs officer for the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

Learn more and watch the 2019 event

 

POSTED: Tuesday, November 5, 2019 01:25 PM
Updated: Friday, December 9, 2022 09:28 AM
WRITTEN BY:
Joe Richardson