KFAL The Big 900 Classic Country
A Columbia College vice president is proud of the college’s designation as a Silver Star Families of America school. Rob Boone serves as Columbia College’s associate vice president for strategic partnerships and projects.
“I think it’s our continued commitment to the military because we have a lot of accolades and we’ve added this to as well. We do have some veterans who are wounded, both physically and mentally. And so we want to make sure we are able to acknowledge that and let them know that we’re here for you to help you in any way, shape or form and really just honor their sacrifice and their service,” Boone says.
Mr. Boone spoke at the recent Veterans Day ceremony on-campus, which celebrated the designation. Numerous Columbia College students took time out of their day to attend the ceremony. That caught the eye of Mr. Boone, who served in the U.S. military for 26 years.
“It also tells me the (Columbia College) faculty is a huge supporter of what we do too as well because some of the faculty did let some of the students go out. So my hat’s off to the faculty for that support. It talks about the military community we have here from all divisions are very supportive,” says Boone.
One of the students who attended serves in the Missouri Army National Guard. 21-year-old Evan Walker grew up in Alaska before moving to mid-Missouri’s Fulton with his family. Mr. Walker is proud of the college’s designation.
“And it means a lot to me that Columbia College would host an event to celebrate and to remember our veterans and the people who are deployed overseas. It means everything to me,” Walker says.
Mr. Walker tells 939 the Eagle that Columbia College loves its veterans.
Columbia College president Dr. David Russell also spoke at the recent ceremony. Dr. Russell, who’s also a veteran, tells 939 the Eagle that veterans and their families are special to Columbia College.
