Students, faculty and staff at Cal State San Bernardino remembered the sacrifice of the nation’s military when it held its annual Memorial Day ceremony on an overcast morning on May 23.

In observance of Memorial Day, CSUSB and its Palm Desert Campus will be closed on Monday, May 28, and reopen on Tuesday, May 29, so commemorative ceremonies were scheduled this week.

“Remembering the Sacrifice,” held on the lawn in front of the John M. Pfau Library, was hosted by the university’s Veterans Success Center and Student Veterans Organization, and featured the singing of the national anthem, flag-folding ceremony, 21-gun salute from Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6476 Honor Detail, bagpiper Gunnery Sgt. Joel Daniels (USMC retired), and keynote speaker Chief Master Sgt. Hugh E. Wagner (USAF retired).

 

The day continued with a Memorial Day Community Service event at the Riverside National Cemetery, which took place in the afternoon.

The CSUSB Palm Desert Campus Memorial Day ceremony, which is hosted by the PDC Veterans Success Center, will take place at 3 p.m. Thursday, May 24, on the front patio of the campus’ Palm Desert Health Sciences Building at 3 p.m.

Following the remarks, the event will feature a presentation of the colors, “The Star Spangled Banner” performed by the Rancho Mirage High School Chamber Choir, a keynote address, a Moment of Reflection, a flag-folding ceremony and a three-volley salute by the local VFW Post 6476 Honor Detail. Joel Daniels, a retired United States Marine Corps gunnery sergeant, will play “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes.

Refreshments will be served following the ceremony and tours of the campus’ Veterans Success Center will be offered.

To RSVP to the PDC event, contact Deborah Buck at (909) 537-5195 or dbuck@csusb.edu. Parking for the event is complimentary courtesy of the Friends of the Palm Desert Campus.

The CSUSB Palm Desert Campus is located at 37-500 Cook St.

In observance of Memorial Day, both campuses will be closed on Monday, May 28, and will reopen on Tuesday, May 29.

For more information on Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university’s Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit inside.csusb.edu.

For more information about the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, contact Mike Singer in the campus’ Office of Public Affairs at msinger@csusb.edu or (760) 341-2883, ext. 78107, or visit the campus website at pdc.csusb.edu.