Marietta College hosted a meaningful ceremony on Veterans Day outside of Gilman Hall to honor the service and sacrifice of U.S. military veterans. The event, which was attended by about 100 students, faculty, staff, and community members, highlighted the College’s commitment to supporting veterans and their families.
Maria Cipro ’25, President of the Student Government Association, began the ceremony by thanking veterans in attendance for their service and detailing how Marietta College supports student veterans. Retired U.S. Marine Corps veteran and SVA President Jon White ’26 thanked campus for supporting veterans before introducing Marietta College President Margaret L. Drugovich.
Dr. Drugovich began her remarks by recognizing two key figures: White and Jason Nulton, a retired U.S. Air Force veteran and Coordinator of the College’s Veterans and ROTC programs. She also provided a brief history of Veterans Day, emphasizing its roots in Armistice Day, which began in 1918 to mark the end of World War I. She explained how President Woodrow Wilson designated the day in 1919 to honor World War I veterans. By 1938, the day was made a legal holiday, and in 1954, U.S. Congress officially renamed it “Veterans Day” to recognize all military veterans, including those who served in World War II and the Korean War.
“Now, we honor all veterans on this day. I think it’s important to understand that this is a longstanding commemoration of service to our country,” Dr. Drugovich said. “As Maria (Cipro) said, Marietta is very proud to celebrate and remember the women and men who have served us and our country as members of the U.S. military. They do this to ensure our safety, to ensure our democracy, and to ensure our future.”
She went on to highlight the College’s initiatives for supporting veterans, including the Collegiate Purple Star Designation, the Student Veterans of America Chapter, the Military Center, and the recent partnership with Ohio University to offer an Air Force and Space Force ROTC Program.
“Why do we do these things?” Dr. Drugovich said. “We do it because we’re grateful for the more than 41 million Americans who have at some point in their journey and the journey of our country, set aside their own needs for us. Think about it. Setting aside their own needs for us, often leaving their families, often going to a place where they didn’t understand the language, often being asked to serve in ways that no human would ever expect. We’re grateful to them.”
She also reminded the audience that while veterans may not always be at the forefront of everyday conversation, their readiness to defend the nation is crucial, especially in times of uncertainty.
“In times of peace, we may not think often enough about the women and men who serve our country, but they have been there at the ready,” she said. “In times of uncertainty, we have turned to them to defend our freedom. They were there at the ready. There is little doubt for me that we will need to turn to them to defend our country at some point in the future. If we’re fortunate, with our support, they will be there at the ready.”
Dr. Drugovich closed her remarks with a personal reflection, acknowledging that her own father was a Korean War veteran. She expressed the College’s deep gratitude for all veterans, both living and deceased.
“Marietta College will always remember with gratitude those who served in our U.S. military. I want to thank our veterans, and I want to thank you all for taking this moment to gather here today,” she said.