Veterans, students and leaders connect at UCLA celebration of service

Veterans, military-connected students, active duty personnel and campus leaders gathered Nov. 6 at UCLA's James West Alumni Center to celebrate service and community at the university's annual Veterans Day reception.

The mid-morning event featured remarks from Chancellor Julio Frenk and Tony DeFrancesco, UCLA's executive director of Veterans Affairs relations and programs, and the presentation of the Veteran of the Year Award.

"Today's event is all about connection," Chancellor Frenk said in his address. "It brings us together to listen, learn and celebrate how veterans contribute to every part of our university's life."

Frenk thanked veterans for their service and underscored how their leadership and lived experiences enrich UCLA classrooms and workspaces. "Veterans help us see broader global perspectives and perhaps even inspire others to live with clarity, empathy and purpose," he said. "They're not only a part of our campus. They're essential to it."

Freak also highlighted UCLA's long-standing partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, from the post-World War II era to today's programs such as the Veteran Family Wellness Center, the UCLA School of Law's Veterans Legal Clinic and UCLA Health's Operation Mend, which supports veterans as they heal and rebuild their lives.

Following the chancellor's remarks, Daniel Martin, a U.S. Army veteran and participant in UCLA Extension's Veteran Success Academy, was recognized as the 2025 Veteran of the Year. Martin, who works as a carpenter for the West Los Angeles VA, was honored for his continued mentorship of other veterans in the academy and his dedication to helping peers navigate education and career transitions.

Attendees, including Monroe Gorden Jr., UCLA's vice chancellor for student affairs, Mick DeLuca, assistant vice chancellor for student life, and other administrators, enjoyed a slideshow highlighting veterans across campus, refreshments and networking.

Among the attendees was Sean Wang, a U.S. Navy veteran completing a doctoral program in electrical engineering at UCLA. His military training in nuclear engineering, he said, taught him the importance of attention to detail - an instinct that continues to serve him in academia.

When asked what advice the double Bruin would give to students thinking about joining the military, Wang answered that they should just pursue what they want to. "Don't be too concerned with what other people think," he said.

After graduating this month, Wang will remain on campus to begin teaching in winter 2026 as a professor in the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering's electrical and computer engineering department. His new course, "Design and Experimental Verification of CMOS Circuits," will introduce students to microchip design - a field he describes as both challenging and deeply rewarding. And he would know, having done his bachelor's program in electrical engineering at UCLA before going to the Naval Post-Graduate School in Monterey, California.

For Kenyada Himes, a float nurse at UCLA Health and a former U.S. Air Force captain, the program marked her first campus veterans' event since becoming a staff member. She was struck by how welcoming the atmosphere felt. "Everybody was so kind," she said. "It's easy to go up to each table and talk to people."

Throughout the reception, attendees mingled, shared stories and took part in group photos with Chancellor Frenk - something Wang was especially eager about.

Himes was equally delighted to recognize several familiar faces from her workplace among the attendees. "Now, when we go back to work, we'll always have that bond - we'll acknowledge each other knowing we share that connection."