MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS) - Student and faculty veterans gathered at the Miller Education Center on Bell Street on Thursday (August 6th) for the Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center Graduating Veterans Stole Ceremony. The event recognized military-connected graduates ahead of the Middle Tennessee State University summer commencement on Saturday (August 8th).

Among the graduates honored was U.S. Army veteran John Farris, an aviation dispatch major from Springfield who earned a 4.0 GPA. Farris attended the ceremony with Ellie, a German shepherd service dog he has fostered and trained for two years while attending classes. Farris credited the Daniels Center staff with helping him secure scholarships and navigate the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veteran Readiness and Employment program.

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Keith M. Huber, senior adviser for veterans and leadership initiatives at MTSU, addressed the crowd in the second-floor atrium. Huber reminded the graduates to express gratitude to those who supported them and challenged them to continue living as servant leaders in their communities.

The center's support extends beyond academics for the campus community. Marine Corps veteran James Copeland, an eight-year MTSU employee who serves as director of classroom technology and interim assistant vice president of client services, spoke about how the center assisted him following a cancer diagnosis last year. Copeland noted that Daniels Center personnel helped him quickly navigate the VA healthcare system during his treatment.

Family members, friends, university leaders, and community partners attended the event to celebrate the graduates before they cross the stage this weekend.