12th annual “Pride of Our Nation… Pride of Our College” exhibition opens Saturday, Nov. 11

November 7, 2023

The 12th annual Pride of Our Nation... Pride of Our College exhibition, an ever-changing collection of photographs and memorabilia of veterans and active military service members with a connection to the college, opens on Veterans Day, Saturday, Nov. 11. A free public reception, featuring a performance by the student choir club, will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Marvin Library Learning Commons on the Troy campus. The exhibit will remain on view through Dec. 15.

Begun with just a handful of photographs, the exhibit has grown to include more than 100 images and keepsakes, both official “military issue” and personal. Current students, faculty and staff submit photos and loan objects -- ranging from dog tags and medals to historic documents and full uniforms -- that pertain to the military career of a relative or themselves. The exhibition features items from as far back as the Civil War to the present day. New for this year is a story shared by a student about his great-grandparents who were part of the French resistance, who assisted U.S. airman during WWII.

Pride of Our Nation… Pride of Our College is a collaborative effort on the part of employees from several departments, according to Alice Malavasic, a professor in the Education and Social Sciences Department, who organized the first exhibit in 2010. (The exhibition was suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic.)

The exhibition is on view in the Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation Atrium on the first floor of the Marvin Library through Friday, Dec. 15. Regular hours are 7:45 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and closed Sunday. The library will be closed Nov. 22 through Nov. 25 for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Admission is free.