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The U.S. national recognition of veterans commemorates the end of World War I, which officially took place on Nov. 11, 1918.
CLARKSTON, GA.— Flags whipped sharply in the wind as Georgia State University Perimeter College students, faculty, staff and community members gathered on the Clarkston Campus front lawn to honor veterans and those currently serving in the United States Armed Forces.
The crowd, which included Clarkson mayor Beverly Burks, was welcomed by Randy Barrone, Georgia State’s Military Outreach interim director, and Cynthia Lester, Perimeter College interim dean.
The Veterans Recognition Ceremony at Clarkston Campus was celebrating the more than 2,700 military and military-affiliated students who attend Georgia State and Perimeter college campuses. Another recognition ceremony took place Thursday, Nov. 10 at Georgia State’s Veterans Memorial Hall on the Atlanta Campus.
During her welcome remarks, Lester recognized U.S. Army Vietnam veteran Bryan Tate and his wife Johanna, who attended the ceremony as representatives of the Atlanta Vietnam Veteran Business Association (AVVBA). The AVVBA has supported military-affiliated students at Perimeter College through scholarships since 2013.
Most recently, the association gave the college a gift of $100,000, which was matched by university foundation’s State Way Match Program, creating a $200,000 endowment for scholarships for Perimeter College veterans and military-affiliated students.
“The scholarship will live in perpetuity at Georgia State University as a fitting tribute to all men and women who served and gave their lives in the Vietnam War,” Lester said. “It is difficult to overstate how gratifying it is to know just how committed partners like the veteran’s business organization and Georgia State are to helping our veteran and military-affiliated students succeed.
“Whether they are a veteran, active duty servicemember or the family member of a veteran, Georgia State is a national model for providing academic and professional resources that lead to success with this special demographic. It is one of the reasons that we are consistently rated among the best schools for military-connected students,” Lester said.
In May 2022, the university was ranked No. 1 among the nation’s tier-1 research institutions in VIQTORY’s Military Friendly survey, which assessed more than 8,800 schools in the U.S.
Lt. Col. Meeshack Lee, of the U.S. Army Signal Corps was the event’s keynote speaker. Lee is chair of Georgia State’s Military Science Department and a decorated officer who has served his country in the U.S. and abroad.
“Today is about veterans—we give homage and gratitude and thank you for your service,” he said.