United in Respect: DeSales Honors Veterans in Moving Ceremony

United in Respect: DeSales Honors Veterans in Moving Ceremony

The annual Veterans Day ceremony at DeSales University once again inspired with its heartfelt message of gratitude for all those who made the courageous decision to serve our nation.

"It's very easy to generalize and to think of veterans in the abstract and as cliches, whether we are celebrating them at a football game or recognizing problems they may have," said keynote speaker Michel Paradis, a leading human rights lawyer, historian, and national security law scholar. "But part of remembering service is to remember they all have individual stories of service with individual reasons to serve."

During his address, Paradis reflected on the leadership of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, emphasizing that we must all be willing to look our servicemen and women in the eye, recognizing their full humanity in addition to their willingness to sacrifice everything for our country.

The ceremony, sponsored by the DeSales Office of Veterans and Military Services, featured several meaningful tributes, including the posting of the colors by the John Rivers Memorial VFW Post 11322, Quakertown, a performance by the Southern Lehigh High School Band, and the presentation of the Missing Man Table by the Dieruff High School Air Force JROTC.

The Lehigh Valley Sea Cadets presented American flags to the families of Joseph J. George, an Army lieutenant, and Edward Pollock, an Air Force pilot, both of whom served in World War II.

Dave Pollock, whose sister and brother-in-law, Carol '80 and John Kukitz '81, both attended DeSales, told the crowd how amazed he is by the nation's veterans-the things they've done, seen, and the places they've been.

"One of those guys was just my dad; he was just my dad," Pollock said.

Pollock also brought along some of his father's military memorabilia to display, including a uniform, medals, and a framed dollar bill signed by President Eisenhower.

The ceremony also recognized this year's scholarship recipients. Aniysa Thorne '25, a law and society major and Army veteran who received the Andrew Budraitis Foundation Veterans Scholarship, expressed her gratitude for the community as well as all those who have supported her educational journey.

"My life is dedicated to service, and I hope I can perpetuate the beauty of giving because people like you are willing to say thank you," Thorne said.

Congratulations to all of the scholarship recipients recognized:

DeSales University Veterans Scholarship:

• Reynald Salazar '26, psychology major, Navy veteran.

Steel Battalion Army ROTC Scholarships:

• Cadet Christopher Gomez '27, criminal justice major.
• Cadet Karter Kromko '27, early childhood education major.
• Cadet James Stelacio '27, homeland security major.

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