A Nov. 12 ceremony celebrates the induction of eight Penn College students into SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society. Inductees are joined in the Davie Jane Gilmour Center Presentation Room by Penn College President Michael J. Reed (left) and Chet Beaver (right), assistant director of student advocacy for veteran and military resources.
Eight students were inducted into Pennsylvania College of Technology’s chapter of SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society on Thursday.
SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society is the only national honor society dedicated to recognizing and honoring the service and academic achievements of student veterans. Penn College’s chapter was formed five years ago and provides a network of support, recognition and opportunity for those who have served, Chet Beaver, assistant director of student advocacy for veteran and military resources, explained.
SALUTE was formed in 2009 by the Colorado State University Veterans Office with a grant from the American Council of Education and the Walmart Foundation. It has 400 active chapters, and over 20,000 student veterans have been inducted.
The 2026 inductees are:
Air Force
Jacob R. Kyler, of Morris, applied management
Army
Raul A. Carbajal, of Williamsport, human services & restorative justice
Keanu Bunting, of Williamsport, biomedical sciences
Steven M. Laity, of Nanticoke, emergency management & homeland security
Haylee E. Parker, of Bloomsburg, emergency management & homeland security
Samuel S. Hitchler, of Lock Haven, nursing
Dzarnyi O. Pukuma, of Brooklyn, Maryland, automotive technology management
Marines
Ryan J. Malloy, of Coraopolis, welding & fabrication engineering technology
Penn College President Michael J. Reed was the guest speaker for the induction ceremony.
Including this year’s inductees, the Penn College chapter of SALUTE has 60 members.
The induction ceremony coincided with the college’s Veterans Week activities:
The Student Veterans Organization kicked off the week's activities by painting The Rock.
Youngsters from the Dunham Children’s Learning Center “Birds” classroom deliver their thanks to the Major General Fred F. Marty Veterans & Military Resource Center. Accepting the gift are Chet Beaver, assistant director of student advocacy for veteran and military resources, and Katie Burke, coordinator of student advocacy/veteran support & prevention education.
The Children's Learning Center's "Bunnies" classroom also celebrates Veterans Day by wearing red, white and blue. Photo provided
A Veterans Day brunch, an annual tradition, celebrated Penn College student, alumni and employee veterans.
In addition to Veterans Day, the week also marked the 251st birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps., so the birtday celebration was part of the Veterans Brunch.
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