Veterans Day: Home of the brave

As if on cue, the American flag raised over Rice’s 15th annual Veterans Day ceremony began to wave in the breeze as Shepherd School of Music graduate student Angel Vargas sang the last notes of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Members of the Rice community gathered Nov. 10 to honor those who have served in the United States military.

More than 100 veterans are among the university’s faculty, staff and students. Among the former and current service members who spoke at the event were Kazimir Karwowski, executive director of the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership; Rice Police Chief James Tate (above, right); Wesley Weigle, an MBA student in the Jones Graduate School of Management; and Casey Fitzgerald, a Sid Richmond College senior and member of the Rice Naval ROTC. Special recognition was given to Herb Ward (above, left), professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering, who served in the U.S. Air Force before joining the Rice faculty in 1962.

The service concluded with taps performed by Shepherd School graduate student Matthew Ross.

(Photos by Jeff Fitlow)