The President's Corner

I would like to thank the Regiment for being part of such a moving Veterans Day parade and ceremony in honor of the soldiers who have served our country. It was especially significant having members of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts - the third oldest chartered military organization in the world, and the oldest in the Western Hemisphere – in attendance.

Veterans Day gives us an opportunity to express our gratitude to the men and women who have fought for the rights and freedoms that we Americans enjoy every day.

There are approximately 22 million military veterans in the U.S. Four and a half million of these veterans are "Gulf War" veterans who served from August 1990 to the present. They are your family members, friends, and neighbors. Do not wait for this official day of observance to thank these fine men and women. Do it with your words and deeds on a regular basis.

Thanksgiving Day is quickly approaching. This will be another opportunity to think about all that we have for which to be grateful. We can be thankful we are able to worship as we choose; we are free to speak and express ourselves; we can go wherever we want to go; we can bear arms; we have a voice in choosing who is elected to lead our country. We are very fortunate to live in a place where we are afforded all of these freedoms and privileges.

On an individual basis we can be thankful for our health and our loved ones; for our nice homes and the food that we have to eat. These are the types of things that we sometimes take for granted. I hope that during the upcoming Thanksgiving break, while you are enjoying spending time with family and friends, you will take a moment to reflect on how fortunate you are.

When you return to campus, there will be only three weeks left in the semester. As you know, it is already time to make preparations for the spring semester. At this point you should have met with your academic advisor to build your schedule for next semester. In addition, the due date for housing forms and spring semester class registration is Nov. 19.

Spring semester bills have gone out and are due no later than Dec. 6. If you have any questions concerning your bill you can stop by the Bursar's Office or call ext. 2055.

Please feel free to call the Center for Student Success, located in Plumley Armory, at ext. 2355 for assistance with any issue you might have as you prepare for the spring semester.

I hope that you have a nice Thanksgiving break and return ready for the final push of the fall semester.