Student veterans reflect on service during Veterans Day Ceremony

Eastern+Illinois+University+President+David+Glassman+delivers+a+speech+during+the+Veterans+Day+Ceremony+at+Old+Main+Friday+morning.+

Rob Le Cates

Eastern Illinois University President David Glassman delivers a speech during the Veterans Day Ceremony at Old Main Friday morning.

Cam'ron Hardy, Campus Events Junior Editor

Angelo Siwecki-Wilder, a sophomore organization development major, was a speaker at the Veterans Day Ceremony held on Friday in Old Main.  

Siwecki-Wilder said he was lost in life and went into the army in hopes of finding his true self and to see all the different tasks that he could accomplish and conquer. 

While in the army, Siwecki-Wilder said he was able to pick up skills such as discipline, self of service and commitment.  

Siwecki-Wilder said he was able to transfer the skills he obtained from the army to his college career and spoke on the transition from the army to college.  

“It was actually not as scary as a process as I thought it was going to be,” Siwecki-Wilder said. “A lot of the skills I obtained while in the army, I was able to bring forth in helping me in a collegiate life.” 

Siwecki-Wilder said his student life is going well. He looks forward to obtaining a 3.4 GPA at the end of the current semester.  

The Veterans Day Ceremony was held at 10:30 a.m. and lasted for roughly 30 minutes.  

Historical facts about Veterans Day were said by Cadet Luke Reeves and President David Glassman.  

“From 1941 to 1945, more than 1,400 Eastern students, faculty, and staff, including 33 women who served as nurses and [Women’s Army Corps] WACs and [Women Accepted as Volunteer Emergency Service workers], WAVES served in the military,” Glassman said.

Glassman also spoke on former Eastern students who were part of the service.  

“In March of 1966, Tom Jennings, former defensive starter on the 1964 football team and a member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity, became Eastern’s first known casualty of the Vietnam War,” Glassman said.  

The event was concluded with a speech from Reeves, and cookies and juice were served in the Cougill Foyer in Old Main. 

 

Cam’ron Hardy can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].