Student veterans to graduate virtually thanks to the pandemic

Middle Tennessee State University will be hosting a virtual Stole Ceremony for more than 90 graduating student veterans thanks to the social distancing guidelines due to the coronavirus. 

The ceremony will be held on Wednesday, April 29th at 10:00 a.m. and can be viewed on MTSU’s or the Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Daniel’s Center’s Facebook page.

“This is an important event, and not one that can be put on hold to be celebrated later,” said Hilary Miller, Daniels Veterans Center director to Fox 17 Nashville.

“Veterans have generally deferred their education until after they have served our country. We do not want them to wait any longer.”

The ceremony typically presents special red stoles to veterans and senior ROTC cadets graduating from MTSU and is held three times a year. 

The ceremony features the presentation of special red stoles to attending graduating veterans and senior ROTC cadets graduating from MTSU and embarking on their own military careers. The special red stoles are presented three times a year.

“The format is not ideal, but it is the best we have under such unprecedented circumstances,” Miller added. 

“At MTSU, we will always ‘adapt and overcome’ to celebrate veterans’ academic success.