They came from far beyond Westwood, with stories of service all around the globe. Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard and Marine Corps veterans, each with their own connections to UCLA, filled the Collins Conference Room on Nov. 5 for UCLA’s Veteran Appreciation Lunch.
Tia Guang, a UCLA Air Force ROTC Detachment 055 cadet from Pasadena, led the ceremonies and perhaps said it best:
“Your sacrifice became part of our nation's story and helped carry America forward,” she said. “You have protected the ground we stand on and the skies above us. We are grateful for your bravery, your dedication, and your service.”
A fourth-year biochemistry major on a pre-med track, Guang will serve as a Force Support Officer, a key structural role in the organization.
“It’s an honor to speak to a group like this, and celebrate these veterans,” Guang said. “It inspires me to do meaningful things in life.”
More on Veterans Day 2026 at UCLA
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► At their service: Every day is Veterans Day at UCLA
► UCLA and veterans: Respect, shared values and a vibrant partnership
Addressing the diverse crowd of service members, UCLA Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt spoke to the vital role veterans play on campus.
“Your contributions are an important part of what makes UCLA an extraordinary community,” he said. “Recognizing that means more than setting aside a day on the calendar. It means ensuring that veterans and military-connected individuals have opportunities to learn, work, lead and thrive here at UCLA.”
UCLA's commitment to veterans
With a military tradition dating back to its founding just after World War I ended, UCLA’s student veteran population mushroomed after World War II as thousands of servicemen and servicewomen became Bruins on the G.I. Bill.
Today, with more than 1,200 veteran and military-connected students at UCLA, the Veteran Resource Center is home to a thriving community. Through career development programs, graduate veterans and military-connected students at the center mentor undergraduates as they prepare for their post-graduate journey. The VRC is often the first stop and home base for UCLA veteran and military-connected students, staff and faculty.
UCLA was again named the country’s No. 1 public university for veterans by U.S. News & World Report, a distinction it has held nine times over the past decade.
Retired Air Force Reserve Lieutenant Colonel Maggie Dewan-Smith, who has worked as a nurse at UCLA Health and taught at the UCLA Joe C. Wen School of Nursing, was moved by the gathering’s spirit.
“When you raise your right hand, you're ready to give up everything,” Dewan-Smith said. “That's something that separates you from the most vociferous civilian. So there's a special bond I have with anyone who's been in the military; we're all brothers and sisters.”
Star Manning: UCLA's Veteran of the Year
Star Manning, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was named Veteran of the Year at the event. A graduate of Crenshaw High School, Manning became an early supporter of UCLA’s efforts to serve the veteran community. She excelled as an environmental health and safety manager, working on major projects like SoFi Stadium, where her military training proved invaluable.
“It was safety first,” Manning said after receiving the award. “You leave no man behind. That mindset of making sure everyone is safe translated to safety management on a construction site. My mission was the same — make sure they went home alive.”
Manning will be recognized at the Annual Veteran & Armed Forces Appreciation game on Friday, Nov. 13 at the Rose Bowl. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. Tickets for veterans are free; reduced-cost tickets for family members are available.
► Read about Daniel Martin, UCLA's 2025 Veteran of the Year
The UCLA Veteran Appreciation Lunch is a joint effort involving UCLA Veterans Initiatives and Partnerships, Veterans Resource Center, Aerospace Studies, Alumni Affairs, Emeriti/Retirees Relations Center, Government and Community Relations, Military Science and Naval Science.
