Honoring the Fallen for Making the Ultimate Sacrifice

All over the world, men and women who served in our Armed Forces lay to rest for making the ultimate sacrifice.

Memorial Day dates back to the years following the Civil War, but it did not become a federal holiday until 1971. Originally known as Decoration Day, soldiers would decorate graves of their fallen comrades.

Memorial Day is—and always has been—a solemn day on our campus.

Every year, when I see the flag on this day, I pause. And, this year, the day serves to remind us of our humanity now more than ever before.

It reminds us of this simple notion: we count on each other.

Independent as we may be, we are inextricably linked to the actions of our peers—to the sacrifices of those who came before us. Our actions now will undoubtedly decide the future of generations to come.

Let this holiday be a reminder that, while our sacrifices may look different today, we can honor our fallen heroes by forging ahead with sacrificial hearts and unsurmountable courage.

We can honor their memories by coming together for a common cause. If our ancestors can engage on battlefields, we, too, can get through these challenging times together.

On Monday, I’m asking our campus community to join me in a national moment of remembrance at 3:00 p.m. local time.

A moment of remembrance will never be enough to repay the fallen, but it’s a small way we can reflect on their service, embrace their loved ones and grasp tightly the ultimate freedoms they left for us to uphold.

We will never forget.