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Annual Veterans Day Ceremony
Details
📅 Tuesday, November 11, 2025 | 11:00 a.m.
📍 DeSales University Center | Center Valley, PA
Join the DeSales University Veterans & Military Services Center as we honor and thank those who have served our nation—students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members.
This year’s ceremony features guest speakers Dr. Ben Iobst ’, Army veteran,DeSales University Alumni, Allentown Police Sergeant, and author of Restoring the Warrior, and Kevin McCloud, Army veteran and Veterans Support Specialist for Catholic Charities of Allentown. Together, they will share powerful stories of resilience, recovery, and service to others.
In a special tribute, the Lehigh Valley Sea Cadets will perform a flag-folding ceremony to honor the legacy and life of the late Coach John Compardo Sr., World War II Navy veteran and DeSales’ first athletic director, and his son, the late John Compardo Jr., a Vietnam War Marine veteran. A flag flown over the U.S. Capitol will be presented to Denise Compardo, daughter of Coach Compardo Sr.
The event will also feature patriotic music by the Southern Lehigh High School Band, the POW–MIA ceremony by Dieruff High School JROTC, and a Color Guard presentation by the John Rivers Memorial VFW Post 11322.
Additional highlights of the ceremony include the announcement of scholarships awarded to Veteran and Military connected students at DeSales:
The DeSales University Veterans Scholarship
The Andrew Budraitis Foundation Veterans Scholarship
The Folds of Honor Scholarships
The National Army ROTC Scholarships
All are welcome as we honor, remember, and celebrate the enduring spirit of service that defines the DeSales community. Refreshments will be served following the ceremony.
Food Provided (refreshment to be served after the ceremony, sent to Bruce Chickey)