Canisius Commemorates Veterans Day

November 12, 2012

Canisius commemorated Veterans Day and remembered the sacrifices of America’s 25 million veterans during the following events on campus:

LTC Gerald “Andy” Boston, U.S. Army War College, presented a talk entitled “A Time to Serve, A Time to Lead,” on Saturday, November 10 in Lyons Hall.

On Monday, November 12, Canisius held a Veterans Day observance in front of Old Main at the college’s Greatest Generation Memorial at Noon.  After remarks by LTC Andrew Overfield (Ret.), coordinator of Veteran Services, and President John J. Hurley, Canisius paid special respect to the more than 6,000 service members who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan with a reading of the names of those who died in these conflicts.  

Brian Castner, former U.S. Air Force Explosive Ordinance Officer, read from his new, critically-acclaimed book “The Long Walk: A Story of War and the Life that Follows,” at 1 p.m. in the Bouwhuis Library.

As part of the National Roll Call, Canisius observed a “minute of silence” at 2 p.m. to honor the fallen.  Canisius is one of 97schools nationwide, and one of two in New York State, to participate in the Roll Call.

As a show of service and pride, all Canisius faculty and staff who are veterans wore their ribbons or medals on Veterans Day to tell a story of service, sacrifice, honor and accomplishment. 

The Canisius community dedicated the Greatest Generation Memorial in November 2007, as a permanent tribute to alumni who served during the war years of 1941-1943.   In 2011, Canisius University opened a Veterans Lounge in Lyons Hall where veteran students can go to study, relax and socialize.

For more information, contact the Canisius University Office of Public Relations at 716-888-2790.

Canisius University is one of 28 Jesuit universities in the nation and the premier private university in Western New York.