In honor of Veterans Day, TABC students participated in a special program entitled “Courage and Character: The Legacy of our Veterans.” The guest speaker, Rebecca Burgess, is the senior editor at American Purpose, acting director of the Classics in Strategy and Diplomacy project, and taskforce lead for the George W. Bush Institute Veterans in Higher Education Task Force. Burgess skillfully presented these thoughtful questions amidst the backdrop of fascinating references to how the idea of “the veteran” has been shaped historically—beginning with the first veteran president, George Washington, as the commander in chief, and how acts of service have been woven into our national fabric. Students posited the idea of how heroic acts could be infused into everyday life without one actually enlisting in the military and shared an array of impressive acts of courage and giving as ways to continue the rich legacy of service and civic contribution.

Program participants were also treated to a moving rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner,” sung by TABC’s Music Director Jacob Spadaro, and opening remarks by Rabbi Adelman about the importance of saluting our vets and the gift of the United States to the Jewish people. Finally, students expressed gratitude to veterans by writing thoughtful messages on postcards that were then mailed. TABC truly captured the essence of the day through contemplation of many rich ideas that veterans embody: service, courage, character, civic contribution and saluting those who sacrifice for the values by which we are privileged to live.