KU Lawrence campus events to honor veterans beginning next month

LAWRENCE – In honor of Veterans Day, the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence will host/participate in a variety of events Nov. 9-16. Events are open to the public, unless otherwise noted.

Nov. 9

• Lawrence Veterans Day parade, 11 a.m. in downtown Lawrence. All veterans, Gold Star families, family members of deployed service members or veteran organizations are welcome. All others can participate but may incur a fee to offset parade costs. RSVP online or call/text 785-576-3765.
• KU Football Salute to Service game vs. Iowa State, time TBA, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Military members and their families can purchase specially priced tickets to this game. For questions or more information, call 800-34-HAWKS.

Nov. 10

• Marine Corps birthday cake cutting, 8:30 a.m., Jayhawk Welcome Center. KU Student Veterans of America will celebrate the Marine Corps birthday with free cake for all, while supplies last. SVA will cut the cake prior to the start of the KU Vets Day 5K and then serve the slices as participants finish the 5K.
• Veterans Day 5K, 9 a.m.-noon on the Lawrence campus. The annual run, hosted by the KU Student Veterans of America and the Veterans Alumni Network, honors past and present veterans and raises awareness of the roles veterans play in the university and community. Because of construction at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, information about this year's route will become available at a later date. Runners, walkers, wheelchair racers and more — both in person and virtual — all are welcome. All proceeds from the Vets Day 5K support KU Student Veterans of America chapter, the KU Veterans Alumni Network and the Lt. Gen. William K. Jones Military-Affiliated Student Center.
• Tribute to Veterans Gala, 6-8:30 p.m. at the Dole Institute of Politics. Celebrate veterans and their families with a Salute to Veterans from the KU ROTC programs and an evening of music and dancing with the Moonlight Serenade Orchestra. A free reservation is required to attend. Contact the Dole Institute at 785-864-4900 or doleinstitute@ku.edu.

Nov. 11

• Annual Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony, 11 a.m. at the World War II Memorial Campanile. The ceremony recognizes and honors all university faculty, staff and students who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The 2024 wreath-laying ceremony will especially recognize family members of KU veterans, including spouses and children whose parents served. The ceremony will include a prelude played by the university carillonneur, traditional pipe and drum music by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Pipe & Drum Band and taps by the KU School of Music. 
• Special museum and gallery hours, noon-4 p.m., Dole Institute of Politics. The spaces showcase artifacts from the lives of former U.S. Senators Bob and Elizabeth Dole. The institute’s museum and galleries include two original beams from the World Trade Center, the world’s largest stained-glass American flag window, special exhibits and more. Learn more at the Dole Institute website.
• “Veteran in the Treehouse: A Psychohistorical Account from Old Lawrence,” 6:30-8 p.m. at the Fayman Gallery, 925 Massachusetts St. Karl Brooks, public affairs & administration professor of the practice, and Garrett Baber, a graduate researcher in psychology, reconsider “General” Hugh Cameron, a decorated Civil War veteran and abolitionist Lawrence founder who lived in a treehouse at Fifth and Indiana streets for nearly a quarter-century during the Gilded Age. Admission is free, but donations are welcome and will be given to a nonprofit serving veterans. Refreshments will be provided. The lecture is hosted by the School of Public Affairs & Administration and Department of Psychology.
• KU Women’s Basketball Salute to Service game vs. Sam Houston State, 6:30 p.m., Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawk Women’s Basketball team would like to thank and honor all active military members, veterans and their families for their service on Veterans Day. Military members and their families can purchase specially priced tickets to this game. For questions or more information, please call 800-34-HAWKS. 

Nov. 13

• Kansas Volleyball Salute to Service match vs. TCU, 6:30 p.m., Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena. Kansas Volleyball would like to thank all active military members, veterans and their families for their service, dedication and sacrifice. This event is sold out, but tickets can still be purchased on SEATGEEK. For questions or more information, please call 800-34-HAWKS.

Nov. 16

• Kansas Men’s Basketball Salute to Service vs. Oakland, time TBA at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawk Men’s Basketball team would like to thank and honor all active military members, veterans and their families for their service. A limited number of tickets remain.

Ongoing

• Kansas Veterans Virtual Memory Wall. The Dole Institute of Politics continues the late U.S. Sen. Bob Dole’s commitment to honoring Kansas veterans past and present through the Kansas Veterans Virtual Memory Wall. Submissions are always welcome from veterans who have served the country from World War II until today who have a Kansas connection, whether they were born, lived or served in Kansas. Submit a profile at the Kansas Veterans Virtual Memory Wall website or contact the Dole Institute at kansasveterans@ku.edu or 785-864-4900.