Veterans Day dinner honors members of Stevens’ community who have served in the armed forces

HOBOKEN, N.J. ― On Saturday, November 14, Stevens held its first Veterans Day dinner to honor the members of the Stevens community who have served in our nation’s armed forces. The dinner was well attended by administrators, faculty and students who have served in all branches of the US military, and their families.

President Harold J. Raveché and Vice President for University Enrollment & Administration Maureen Weatherall made welcoming comments. The keynote address was presented by Kenneth H. Mizrach, executive director of the Veterans Administration Healthcare System of New Jersey.

The event, which will be an annual celebration, was particularly meaningful as Stevens has re-activated the Stevens Veterans Office over the past four months. In that time, the university has been awarded Yellow Ribbon status and more than 20 veterans and active duty military are now taking classes at all levels and across the academic spectrum at Stevens.

“As a former Marine, I’m proud and honored that my school is not only taking the lead in taking care of our nation’s heroes, but also humbled by the exemplar set by all members of our flourishing Veteran community here at Castle Point,” said Dr. Don Lombardi, Management Professor and faculty liaison for the Stevens Veterans Office (SVO).

Mizrach was the third honored recipient of the Spirit of Castle Point Award at the Stevens Veterans Dinner on November 14, 2009. The award is presented by the Howe School's Magis Program, which is a community partnership that matches Stevens students with purposeful projects that assist non-profit community organizations.

Mizrach was recognized for his role as an active advisor and mentor to the Magis Program, and specifically his work in guiding the efforts of several students performing community work in the New Jersey healthcare community.

Mizrach received the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Achievement in 2007, 2002 and 1995 for his work as a stellar executive in the national Veterans Administration System. In 1997 he received the Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Achievement. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from St. John's University, Queens, New York, and a Master's Degree in Public Health Administration from the Michigan School of Public Health in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He also received a Kennedy School of Government Certificate in 1997 after attending the Harvard Summer Program for Senior Executives. He is a native of Brooklyn, New York.

"This award is very special, as is the partnerships created by the Magis Program with some very noteworthy New Jersey non-profit organizations," said Mizrach. "I look forward to working with Dr. Lombardi and his team as good work continues from Stevens students who really makes a difference in our state."

At the end of the evening, each veteran was presented with a specially designed Stevens veterans community honor pin, to signify Stevens’ past, present and future support of our nation’s armed forces.

More information is available at www.stevens.edu/veterans

About Stevens Institute of Technology

Founded in 1870 and celebrating 140 Years of Innovation, Stevens Institute of Technology, The Innovation University, is one of the leading technological universities in the world dedicated to learning and research. Through its broad-based curricula, nurturing of creative inventiveness, and cross disciplinary research, the Institute is at the forefront of global challenges in engineering, science, and technology management. Partnerships and collaboration between, and among, business, industry, government and other universities contribute to the enriched environment of the Institute. A new model for technology commercialization in academe, known as Technogenesis®, involves external partners in launching business enterprises to create broad opportunities and shared value.

Stevens offers baccalaureates, master’s and doctoral degrees in engineering, science, computer science and management, in addition to a baccalaureate degree in the humanities and liberal arts, and in business and technology. The university has a total enrollment of 2,234 undergraduate and 3,700 graduate students with more than 400 faculty. Stevens’ graduate programs have attracted international participation from China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America. Additional information may be obtained from its web page at www.stevens.edu.

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