SEPTEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER
Happy labor day!
It’s September! Kids are back in school. The days are getting shorter, the nights cooler, and the sounds of college football are starting to reverberate across America. Soon, the hustle of the winter holiday season will be here. With schedules filling up and life getting busy, HVAO President Bo Mahaney and I hope that you can take some time and join us at the HVAO Annual Fall BBQ in Cambridge on Saturday, September 27th.
We look forward to this event every year to welcome our veteran students and ROTC cadets and midshipmen to campus. This year, we are holding the event at the American Legion Marsh Post 442 on Greenough Street in Cambridge. The event will highlight our awardees for the Kennedy Public Service Award, the Roosevelt Leadership Award, and the Faust Ally Award for 2024/25. We will also draw winners for our raffle, this year benefitting the addition of three names to the Harvard Medal of Honor plaque located in Memorial Church.
If you plan to join us at the BBQ, please RSVP HERE.
Remembering 9/11
As we remember the attack on 9/11, let us also remember those from the Harvard Community who were lost that day and those who volunteered to serve this country in the aftermath.
September 11 marks a sobering moment for Harvard-affiliated veterans—both alumni who served and those shaped by that fateful day. The Gazette recounts how eleven members of the Harvard community—including veterans and those with deep ties to military and public service—lost their lives in the attacks: among them physicians, business leaders, and consultants whose lives and careers were devoted to serving others Harvard Gazette. For veterans across generations, the attacks stirred confusion, fear, and an instinctive compulsion to “do something”—to act out of duty, solidarity, and purpose. One alum vividly describes racing across his old campus, seeking a connection in the bleak hours after the tragedy Harvard Gazette.
These shared experiences underscore a broader legacy: 9/11 deeply influenced life trajectories, guiding many toward careers in national security, public health, and service-driven leadership. Though not all had direct losses, the weight of that day—its haunting images, its abrupt rupture of security—left an enduring imprint that steered choices and convictions. For Harvard veterans, the anniversary is both a remembrance and a touchstone—a catalyst for reflection on how service, sacrifice, and community resilience converge in the face of tragedy.
The 9/11 Memorial in New York City.
Medal of Honor Memorial Plaque to get three new names
Harvard Veterans Alumni Organization is proud to announce the latest phase of our Memorial Plaque project — adding three new names to the Medal of Honor Memorial Plaque. This tribute is more than an inscription; it is a lasting acknowledgment of valor, a tangible reminder on campus, and a beacon of courage for generations to come.
The Medal of Honor Memorial plaque was donated by the Harvard Veterans Alumni Organization and unveiled on November 11, 2009, by Chief of Staff of the Army, George W. Casey Jr. and Harvard President, Dr. Drew Gilpin Faust.
The new names will be unveiled at a Memorial Ceremony on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2025, at Memorial Church.
At the Harvard Veterans Alumni Organization (HVAO), our mission is clear: to Connect, Bridge, and Honor the courageous service of our Harvard alumni who have served in the armed forces. We’re dedicated to further immortalizing that legacy through this heartfelt initiative. Our focus includes:
Recognition – Honoring three additional heroes with their rightful place on the plaque.
Preservation – Ensuring the plaque remains respectfully protected and maintained for future years.
Education – Sharing the stories of these extraordinary individuals with the Harvard community and beyond.
We need your help to raise $10,000
Each donation brings us much closer to our $10,000 goal — a milestone that will help cover the cost of engraving, installation, and upkeep. Through your generous support, you play an essential role in preserving these legacies for posterity.
Investing in this project means uplifting the spirit of service represented by these heroes. It’s a call to action — to acknowledge bravery, ensure remembrance, and inspire future alumni.
Every contribution matters. Join us in honoring distinguished Harvard veterans by donating to inscribe their names on the Medal of Honor Memorial Plaque today. Your support ensures their stories endure — forever woven into the fabric of our university and our hearts.
To raise money in support of this effort, we are holding a raffle on September 27th. If you would like to help us reach our $2,500 raffle goal, you can purchase tickets HERE.
We also accept direct donations, and have a direct donation goal of $7,500. If you prefer to pay by check, they can be sent to Harvard Veterans Alumni Organization Inc. at 8409 Allsworth Court, Fort George G. Meade, MD 20755.
HVAO VICE PRESIDENT WINS HAA Award
The Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) has announced that Lydia Rossman has been selected as a recipient of the 2024–2025 Outstanding Volunteer Leadership Award, one of the highest honors given annually by the HAA Clubs and Shared Interest Groups (SIGs). This award recognizes individuals whose dedication, vision, and service have made a lasting impact within the Harvard alumni community.
Each year, the HAA Clubs and SIGs Awards celebrate both individual and organizational excellence through two categories: the Outstanding Volunteer Leadership Award and the Outstanding Alumni Community Award. Awardees are nominated by their peers, with nominations supported by testimonials that highlight the significant contributions, tireless leadership, and far-reaching influence of the recipients.
Lydia was chosen for her exemplary commitment to advancing the mission of the Harvard community, bringing people together through innovative programming, and fostering meaningful alumni connections across the globe. Her leadership reflects the very essence of Harvard’s spirit of service — dedication, collaboration, and the pursuit of excellence.
The award will be formally presented to Lydia this October during the HAA Leadership Conference, an annual gathering that brings together alumni leaders from around the world to share insights, strengthen networks, and celebrate volunteer achievement.
In receiving this recognition, Lydia joins a distinguished group of Harvard alumni who embody the highest ideals of alumni engagement. Her peers and the HAA have affirmed not only her accomplishments but also her continued commitment to building inclusive, impactful communities.
Please join us in congratulating Lydia Rossman on this well-deserved honor. Her leadership and passion for service inspire us all and strengthen the bonds that connect Harvard alumni worldwide.
Learn more about Lydia’s professional and volunteer work on her LinkedIn profile.
