MCTC honors veterans across campuses

Published on Nov 19, 2024

By Rachel Adkins

Maysville Community and Technical College recently recognized veterans across each campus. 

Courtney Myers, a college counselor in Student Support Services at MCTC, shared remarks on the Maysville campus.

“As a community, it is our responsibility to ensure that their (veterans) sacrifices are never forgotten,” Myers said. “Honoring our veterans goes beyond words. It requires us to recognize the challenges they face and to support them as they transition back into civilian life.”

A moment of silence was held before Myers welcomed Craig Pleasant, MCTC’s veteran services coordinator, to speak about his role.

“It’s just been an honor working with the veterans, building relationships and learning what they go through, a totally different picture of what I had before,” Pleasant began. “Our veterans, students, they can have some challenges. We have students with PTSD, we have some students with chronic pain….We want to do all we can to help our veterans.”

MCTC assists veterans in several ways, including VA assistance.

Following Pleasant’s remarks, Mary Breeze, a success coach for MCTC, read a list with the names of veterans who are employed or related to employees at MCTC.

Chris Neal, MCTC’s security officer on the Maysville campus, shared remarks as a decorated army veteran and retired police officer.

“As we close our time together, let us remember that honoring our veterans doesn’t end with words,” Neal said. “We honor them by carrying forward the values they have protected. Values like courage, integrity and service to others.”

Neal reminded those in attendance not to take their freedom for granted and to remember it was bought with great sacrifice.

“To our veterans here today, we want you to know that we see you, we respect you and we are grateful for you. May God bless you and protect you and your families always,” he said. “It’s a blessing to be able to live in a country where you can worship however you want to worship, you can go wherever you want to go, you can say what you want to say and you can think what you want to think.”

MCTC’s Licking Valley and Rowan campuses also held brief services for Veterans Day.

Dr. Jerry Napier, an associate professor in MCTC’s Liberal Arts and Education department on the Licking Valley Campus and decorated veteran, shared a brief history of the day.

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day. 

Congress passed an act making it a legal holiday in May 1938. 

In 1954, the act was amended to replace the word “armistice” with “veterans” to honor all the nation’s veterans, rather than focusing on World War I veterans.

“Today, we gather to do just that. To honor all those who have served, who are serving and who will serve our great nation,” Napier remarked.

Vickey Oney, Rowan campus director and human resource coordinator, also briefly discussed the history of Veterans Day. 

“Today, Veterans Day serves as a day of gratitude for all veterans, celebrating their commitment, sacrifices and dedication to protecting the nation,” Oney said.

Robert Hamm, a professor in the Air Conditioning Technology department on MCTC’s Rowan campus and decorated veteran, reminded participants that Veterans Day is a day to celebrate war veterans and the price of freedom. 

Several students in the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program participated in a Veterans Day project to show their support to veterans.

“We are so very proud of them and the great job they did honoring veterans in our local communities,” said Jennifer Mawk, a registered nursing instructor in MCTC’s ADN program.

As their services have been a foundation for our nation’s freedom, MCTC is proud to have recognized the veterans around us. 

For more information on services offered to veterans, please go to MCTC Veterans Services.