Touro University Nevada Celebrates Veterans Day with Special On-Campus Ceremony
Touro University Nevada honored the brave men and women who served in the U.S. armed forces during a special on-campus Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 11.
More than 100 people filled the university’s front lobby to honor those from the Touro community who served in the military before listening to the guest speakers, who included U.S. Congresswoman Susie Lee, Colonel Erik K. “Flipper” Rippinger, and Christy Molasky from The Molasky Foundation.
“As the daughter of a veteran, Veterans Day holds a very special place in my heart,” Lee said. “We owe every veteran our sincerest thanks for what is no doubt the highest form of service in our land.”
Molasky delivered important news to the audience during her time at the podium as, together with CEO & Senior Provost Shelley Berkley, she announced that the Molasky Foundation was donating $25,000 to Touro in continued funding for student-veteran scholarships.
During her speech, Berkley recalled the time when she gave Christy and Alan Molasky a campus tour, shortly after she became the university’s CEO & Senior Provost six years ago.
“The first thing they asked was ‘What can we do?’” Berkley reminisced about that initial meeting. “We talked with them for a while, and it became very apparent that they had a deep commitment to our veterans. They were fully appreciative of the education that our veterans were getting here at Touro University Nevada. Without a moment’s hesitation, they agreed to fund a scholarship that would benefit the student-veterans at Touro.”
After the speeches concluded, a special flag raising was held in the front of the building, the same flag that once flew over the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.
“Raising this flag will serve as a reminder to our student veterans and their family members on this campus, that their country and their school values and honors their service,” Lee said.
Following the special flag raising, Dr. Joe Hardy, Associate Dean of Clinical Education in the College of Osteopathic Medicine and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, spoke about why Touro is so proud to support veterans of the U.S. military.
“We love our veterans here at Touro because they allow us the freedom of education and the freedom of choice,” he said. “We are grateful to be here at Touro University Nevada celebrating Veterans Day.”
