Colorado State University Honors Veterans during University’s Veterans Week Nov. 7-12

CSU will honor U.S. veterans during Veterans Week which coincides with this year’s Veterans Day celebrations. Veterans Week will run from Nov. 7-12. The Student Veterans Organization at CSU has coordinated events that will be held across campus and during the Colorado State vs. San Diego State home football game to honor and remember those who have served in the U.S. military.

“The student veterans who have been a part of the planning for Veterans Week are once again, demonstrating their selfless service for the good of our campus and community”, said Jan Rastall, Director of Adult Learner and Veteran Services. “They hope the message of appreciation, gratitude and understanding for the sacrifices veterans make to ensure the liberties for all will be felt by those who participate. I encourage everyone to attend as many events as possible to show their support.”

Events include a veterans breakfast, diversity day, movies, panel discussion, national roll call, a celebration reception, Changing Perspectives: Veteran Print Project, a display of flags on the LSC plaza to commemorate those who have given their life in military service since the WW I, the Veterans Day 5K run/walk and a Salute to Veterans at the CSU vs. SDSU football game on Nov. 12.

This year’s Veterans Day 5K run/walk will honor Sergeant Nick Walsh. USMC Sgt. Walsh, 26, was a dedicated Marine and beloved husband, father, son, brother, and grandson, who took great pride in serving his country. Walsh was assigned to the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, when he was killed by an enemy sniper while conducting combat operations in Fallujah, Iraq, on May 26, 2007.

Walsh enlisted in the Marine Corps upon graduation from John Carroll High School in Birmingham, Ala., in 1997, and served until 2001. He re-enlisted in 2004 and was on his second deployment to Iraq when he was killed. His military decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat V and the Purple Heart. Many of Walsh’s family members live in Fort Collins.

This year’s Veterans Day 5 K will be held at 9 a.m. Nov. 12 beginning at CSU’s Oval. For more information and to register for the race visit www.veterans.colostate.edu/5k. The net proceeds from the 5K will benefit the CSU Veterans Scholarship to assist a student-veteran living with disabilities related to their military service. For more information about the scholarship fund visit www.advancing.colostate.edu/veterans.

A schedule of the week’s events follows.

Monday, Nov. 7: Veteran’s Breakfast 8-10 a.m. (195 Lory Student Center)
Kick off Veteran’s Week with a free bagels and fruit for student-veterans and veterans from the community.

Veterans Movie Showing: 7 p.m. – Stop-Loss LSC 228

Tuesday, Nov. 8: Diversity Day 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. (228 Lory Student Center)
Hear a panel of diverse veterans who will share their stories with hopes of destroying stereotypes formed around people of the military. Q&A will follow.
Veterans Movie Showing: 7 p.m. – Home of the Brave LSC 220-2

Wednesday, Nov. 9: Veterans Panel 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. (230 Lory Student Center)
Hear veterans share their experiences. Q&A will follow.
Veterans Movie Showing: 7 p.m. – War Torn 1861-2010 LSC 220-2

Thursday, Nov. 10: Veterans Stand Down 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
A day for any veteran who may be in need, may be homeless, potentially homeless, or who would simply like to join other veterans for the day and receive some free services for the service they provided to our country. This event is off campus and is a community wide event.

Veterans Movie Showing: 7 p.m. – Battle for Haditha LSC 208

Friday, Nov. 11: National Roll Call 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Lory Student Center Plaza)
A reading of all the names of the Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom casualties with university students across the nation observing a pause at noon to observe a simultaneous “minute of silence.”

Saturday, Nov. 12: Veterans Day 5k Run/Walk (CSU Oval)
Race day Registration: 7:30 a.m.; race start: 9 a.m.
Register online by noon, Nov. 11: www.veterans.colostate.edu/5k

CSU vs. SDSU Football Game
Salute to Veterans: 4 p.m. (Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium)

Additional events throughout the week:

Flag Display (Lory Student Center’s East lawn)
600+ American flags displayed representing the 623,000 US Military killed in battle from WWI to the present day.

Veterans Print Project (LSC Basement)
On display from 11/1-11/30. A national art project which seeks to bring two divergent groups, veterans and artists, together to express the historical experiences of a new generation of veterans through the traditional methods of fine art print, opening an ongoing dialogue between these two groups. Works on display are done by Fort Collins, student artists reflecting CSU student veterans’ experiences. For more information visit veteranprintproject.com.

Veterans Plaza Registration: (195 LSC)
Ongoing registration for the Veterans Plaza at Spring Canyon Community Park.

For more information about the week’s events visit www.veterans.colostate.edu.

Colorado State University is among the top military friendly schools in the nation, according to G.I. Jobs magazine. The 2012 Military Friendly Schools list honors the top 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members and veterans as students.

Beginning this fall and in addition to benefits CSU traditionally has offered its veterans, Colorado State University, partnering with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program, is offering full awards – including tuition, fees, and generous housing and books stipends – to qualifying non-resident U.S. military veterans and their designated dependents.

The university’s Office of Adult Learner and Veteran Services provides services focused on education, leadership and involvement. Veterans are educated about the transition to academics and connected to critical resources. Through the office, they are encouraged to continue to develop their leadership qualities by serving as a peer mentor for other vets as well as being a voice for student vets on university committees. The office offers opportunities for veterans to get involved outside the classroom through the student veterans organization and study groups. ALVS facilitates an environment conducive to learning and helps with questions and concerns pertaining to G.I. Bill benefits.

Additionally, the recently created New Start Program offered through the College of Applied Human Sciences helps veterans returning from the Middle East re-enter the community. The program, which is being implemented by the college’s Center for Community Partnerships within the Department of Occupational Therapy, tailors re-entry systems for veterans to help them with career and educational goals.

Colorado State has been in the forefront of working with veterans and jobs: CSU was the first four-year university to partner with Veterans Green Jobs to provide “green” educational opportunities to veterans. On Veterans Day 2009, CSU and Veterans Green Jobs announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to create the Veterans Green Jobs Education Initiative at the university. The MOU established a formal relationship between CSU and Veterans Green Jobs for the purpose of encouraging and enhancing opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate military veterans attending the university.

The university has also been recognized for providing education to the Colorado Army National Guard, awarded the Success for Veterans Award Grant in 2009, and is currently offering a military veterans section of the first-year college composition course to engage veterans in sharing experiences and perspectives while offering support. CSU was also awarded a grant from the Department of Defense to provide camps for military youth to introduce outdoor adventures and the concept of mindfulness, which entails full attention and awareness, without judgment and emotional reactivity, to learn critical life and coping skills.

To learn more about veterans services at Colorado State, visit www.veterans.colostate.edu.

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