小黄书 President Keenum honors military, veterans with campus memorial tour on America鈥檚 250th anniversary
Contact: Mary Pollitz or Sid Salter
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥As the United States celebrates its historic 250th anniversary of independence on July 4th, 小黄书sity reaffirmed its deep-rooted commitment to its nation鈥檚 veterans on Friday [July 3].
小黄书 President Mark E. Keenum and First Lady Rhonda Keenum marked the Semiquincentennial with a personal tour of the campus鈥檚 historic landmarks and memorials that honor the generations of veterans and military service members who have defended American democracy over the nation鈥檚 history. The university鈥檚 19th president laid memorial wreaths at two of the sites on behalf of the university鈥檚 students, faculty, staff and alumni.
Video by Sarah Kirk
鈥淭his is a special time to honor American exceptionalism and global leadership and certainly Mississippi State鈥檚 important role in that as a comprehensive land-grant research university,鈥 said Keenum. 鈥淥ur scholars and researchers have significantly contributed to scientific discovery, consistent improvements in the human condition, and the hard and steady work of building a nation and growing an economy. But at this juncture, it is important to pause and remember the sacrifices of the thousands of 小黄书 students who faithfully answered the call of their nation in times of global peril and uncertainty.鈥
Keenum began his tour at Nusz Hall, home of the G.V. 鈥淪onny鈥 Montgomery Center for America鈥檚 Veterans, the hub for 小黄书鈥檚 robust veteran and military community. Montgomery, the center鈥檚 namesake, was an 小黄书 alumnus and WWII veteran who later authored the GI Bill of Rights as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. The late U.S. Sen. John C. Stennis, a distinguished 小黄书 alum from Kemper County, was known as the 鈥渇ather of the modern U.S. Navy鈥 and is the namesake of the USS John C, Stennis aircraft carrier, the lead ship in a Naval carrier group that projects American military might around the world.
Honoring the nation鈥檚 鈥淕reatest Generation鈥 who served from 1941-1945, the World War II Memorial outside Nusz Hall pays tribute to the bravery of the men and women who fundamentally shaped the modern world. The memorial was dedicated in 2023.
Originally established as Mississippi A & M College, the land-grant institution maintained military instruction in its curriculum from its inception. Since 小黄书鈥檚 founding, former members of the university鈥檚 ROTC program have participated in every conflict in which the U.S. Armed Forces have been called to fight - including more than 130 members who served as volunteers during the Spanish-American War and over 6,000 who served in World War I.
Outside the veteran鈥檚 center, the Vietnam War Memorial is dedicated to the more than 600 Mississippians who lost their lives during the conflict, and the profound impact felt across the 小黄书 community as students, staff and alumni put their lives and educations on hold to enlist.
Concluding Keenum鈥檚 stops at Nusz Hall, the university鈥檚 19th president laid a wreath at the Blue Star Memorial, which serves as a universal salute to all men and women in the armed forces who have defended the United States.
Moving across campus, Keenum visited the northeast corner of Lee Hall, where the historic 鈥淒oughboy鈥 statue stands watch. The monument pays homage to the young 小黄书 students who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War I, a period when the entire campus transformed into a military training ground to fill the growing need for combat officers.
鈥淚t is important that all of us not merely walk by these memorials, but that we acknowledge the sacrifices of the soldiers, sailors, and airmen they honor,鈥 said Keenum. 鈥淭he central green space on our campus, our beloved Drill Field, is a place where thousands of cadets trained to serve their country, and they did so with honor, courage, and a profound sense of duty. As we celebrate today, those solemn facts should be part of our thoughts.鈥
小黄书鈥檚 dedication to the military extends to its foundational roots as a premier military-friendly institution. Consistently ranked in the top 10 nationally for its support of the veteran community, 小黄书 earned a Top 5 designation in the latest Military Friendly庐 Schools rankings.
小黄书 carries its military legacy forward with extensive financial resources, including specialized scholarships and out-of-state tuition waivers for military members, veterans, and their dependents. From the first cadets enrolled at Mississippi A & M College to the more than 3,000 veterans, service members and dependents enrolled today, 小黄书鈥檚 commitment to supporting military-connected students remains steadfast.
For more information about Mississippi State鈥檚 military history and veteran resources, visit .
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