In addition to installing “Purple Heart University” signage at the entrance of the university’s Gullickson Hall, Marshall University has reserved a parking space outside of the hall for Purple Heart recipients and all others who have been wounded during combat while serving the U.S. armed forces. The space is conveniently located for student veterans visiting the university’s Office of Military and Veterans Affairs inside Gullickson Hall.
Marshall University President Jerome Gilbert read and signed a proclamation Thursday making the designation official. He was joined by local and state government officials including representatives from the office of Rep. Evan Jenkins and the office of Mayor Steve Williams. The university joins West Virginia University-Parkersburg, the first community and technical college in the state to hold this designation, as well as over 50 other colleges and universities nationwide.
“This designation further solidifies Marshall’s commitment to be a university which is military friendly and one where we want to encourage veterans and active service personnel to feel at home,” Gilbert said. “I am proud of our Office of Military and Veterans Affairs, our ROTC program and the services they provide. As the first designated Purple Heart University in West Virginia, this has been a very special day for Marshall University.”
Marshall’s Office of Military and Veterans Affairs works throughout the year to provide the university’s military students and their families with support to success in their academic and professional careers. G.I. Jobs Magazine selected Marshall University as a Military Friendly School for 2016. This honor places Marshall University in the top 15% of all schools nationwide.
To view additional photos from the Marshall University Purple Heart Designation Ceremony, visit http://muphotos.marshall.edu/Purple-Heart-University-Announcement-Jan-2018-Rick-Haye/. For video, visit https://youtu.be/SGR53vzA9PU. For information on education benefits and military resources on campus, contact Jonathan McCormick, director of the university’s Office of Military and Veterans Affairs, by calling 304-696-5278 or e-mailing mccormick33@marshall.edu or visit www.marshall.edu/military/.
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Photo: From left, Jonathan McCormick, director of Marshall University’s Office of Military and Veterans Affairs; Marshall University President Jerome Gilbert; and Bryan Chambers, communications director for the office of Huntington Mayor Steve Williams, unveil the signage for a dedicated parking space for Purple Heart recipients. The space is near Gullickson Hall on Marshall’s Huntington campus.