Today, we observe Veterans Day, our nation's annual tribute to the men and women who have served in the U.S. armed forces. While most of us will enjoy a day off from work or school, please take a moment to remember that many of our current military service people are deployed far from home, working to protect the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.

Last weekend's football game against Marshall University was Military Appreciation Day at FAU Stadium. Also, and I am particularly proud of this, FAU has earned the 2018 Military Friendly® School Designation by Victory Media, a veteran-owned business dedicated to helping service members and veterans transition into civilian careers. The Military Friendly School® designation recognizes institutions that meet minimum thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement and loan repayment rates for student veterans.

FAU's Office of Military and Veterans Affairs does a wonderful job serving more than 1,500 military and veteran students, which includes dependents eligible for military and veteran educational benefits. FAU's Military and Veterans Student Success Center also serves as a hub for military and veteran student engagement by offering resources such as peer mentoring, internship and employment opportunities, networking events, an entrepreneurship program, outdoor expeditions, and social gatherings.

For more information about FAU's Military and Veterans Student Success Center, visit www.fau.edu/vets.

Enjoy the long weekend, and thank you to all of our military veterans. Go Owls!