Northeastern held its annual Veterans Day memorial service Nov. 11 to honor veterans and those who have passed while serving in the military, drawing more than 75 people to the Raytheon Amphitheater in the Egan Research Center.
The service began with a color guard presentation, followed by a series of speakers and the presentation of the Joseph H. Hefflon Yellow Ribbon Award. Hefflon, a 1915 Northeastern graduate, died from disease in World War I while volunteering as a medic.
Dave Hagen, a retired captain of the U.S. Navy and assistant teaching professor in security and intelligence studies at Northeastern, delivered opening remarks about the importance of the military.
“We serve together to advance the mission of making our country and our world a better place,” Hagen said to the crowd.
After the remarks, Neal Finnegan, a member of the Northeastern University Board of Trustees and the namesake of the Neal F. Finnegan Plaza, a veteran’s memorial on the Boston campus, presented the Hefflon award.
Hefflon is buried at Suresnes American Cemetery, a United States military graveyard in France.
“The Joseph H. Hefflon Yellow ribbon award is presented to a person, group or organization that has made a significant contribution to the veterans of Northeastern University,” Finnegan said.
This year, the award was presented to FourBlock, a veterans’ career readiness program that supports veterans transitioning back to civil society.
FourBlock uses guided self-reflection to help veterans investigate and discover what is personally important about their next career, according to its website.
After the award was presented, LTJG Jack Farrell and Reserve Officer’s Training Corps, or ROTC, Cadet Carly Davis laid a memorial wreath by the Northeastern Veterans Memorial outside of the Egan Research Center.
Following the award’s presentation, U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Jennifer Couture, the event’s keynote speaker, thanked Northeastern for its commitment to veterans through the Dolce Center for the Advancement of Veterans and Service Members, or CAVS.
“Northeastern University’s commitment continues through the Dolce Center for the Advancement of Veterans and Service Members, which proves essential resources to help veterans, service members and their families navigate the path from military to academic and professional success beyond their military service,” Couture said.
CAVS offers a network of 3,800 of Northeastern’s employer partners, which helps students in the military find co-ops or post-graduate job opportunities.
Couture ended her speech by highlighting that service can take different forms besides being in uniform.
“To the students, faculty and alumni here, including those who have not served in uniform … service takes many forms. You serve when you innovate, when you teach, when you volunteer, when you strengthen your community — every act of citizenship contributes to the security and vitality of our country,” Couture said.
The Navy recently celebrated its 250th anniversary and held a commemorative ceremony in Philadelphia in October.
The Nor’Easters, Northeastern’s premier a capella group, closed the ceremony by singing the Armed Forces Medley.
“It’s great to see that there’s so much support given to the veterans of this nation here, whether they want to advance their professional studies or other aspects in their life,” said doctoral student Blaze O’Mara and attendee of the ceremony.
