UHV to host Patriot Palooza celebration for veterans
The University of Houston-Victoria will host a celebration for veterans in the community the weekend before Veterans Day.
Patriot Palooza will take place on Friday, Nov. 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. The event, in partnership with Victoria College, will be held in the University South building at UHV.
The event, which is entering its second year, is organized by Danny White, UHV associate professor of biology and Marine Corps veteran. It is a free event and is open to all veterans, their families and the public.
“Showing gestures like having get-togethers and really showing them thanks is important for our veterans,” White said. “It’s important to show students that we do care beyond the simple ‘thank you for your service.’”
Patriot Palooza was established and debuted last year as a way to bring together student veterans and the local veteran community together to celebrate their service to the country, White said. As a veteran himself, White said he understands the importance of having a supportive community during the college experience.
This year’s event will be supported by various local and national veteran organizations, including, Popcorn Plus and Jason’s Deli. Additional sponsors for the event include Chick-fil-A, Warrior’s Weekend, Bravo Auto Group and Atzenhoffer Chevrolet.
This year's Patriot Palooza will feature several new additions, including live music from The Texas Continentals, a local cover band playing a mix of country, rock and Tejano music. In the week leading up to the event, a big American flag and Texas flags, generously provided by Warrior’s Weekend, will be displayed along Ben Wilson Street and around UHV, with a special flag unfurling ceremony planned for Monday, Nov. 4, White said.
With the event, Jennifer Ortiz Garza, UHV director of development, said she hopes it will inspire the next generation of veteran volunteers, bridging the gap between older and younger veterans in the community.
“Our collaboration with Victoria College is important because we want to recognize the students, faculty and staff who are veterans from both campuses,” Ortiz Garza said. “We want to connect these two groups from both campuses to help students feel more comfortable and feel like both campuses have the resources for them to succeed.”
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.