UTSA Police Department to honor fallen officers with May 20 tribute

By Lorna Stafford
Communications Coordinator, Office of University Communications

(May 18, 2011)--In observance of National Peace Officers Memorial Day, the UTSA Police Department will host a ceremony to commemorate the service and sacrifice of state law enforcement officers at 10 a.m., Friday, May 20 at Bill Miller Plaza on the UTSA Downtown Campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The National Police Officers Memorial Day ceremony brings together branches of San Antonio's law enforcement community including local police and special jurisdictions such as college campus police, park police, military police and federal agencies including ATF, DEA, FBI, Secret Service and U.S. Marshals.

The ceremony will include a reading of the proclamation by Kerry Kennedy, UTSA vice president for business affairs. Law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in Texas in 2010 will be honored through the reciting of names, wreath laying and the playing of "Taps." Michael Heidingsfield, director of police for the University of Texas System, will deliver the address.

National Peace Officers' Memorial Day has a long history. It began in 1962 by presidential proclamation signed by President John F. Kennedy. Kennedy also designated the week as National Police Week. Since that time, police departments across the nation have observed the week in different ways including open houses, SWAT demonstrations and memorial services.

Every 53 hours, a law enforcement officer gives up his or her life in the line of duty. In 2010, Texas lost 19 law enforcement officers. Since 1963, 31 university police officers nationwide have died in the line of duty.

Events

Friday, May 3, 11:30 a.m.

McNair Scholars' Spring Celebration

This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.

North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main Campus

Wednesday, May 15, 6:00 p.m.

Doctoral Conferral Ceremony

At this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.

Arts Building Recital Hall, Main Campus

Thursday, May 16, 3:00 p.m.

Roadrunner Walk

Roadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.

Student Union Paseo, Main Campus

Friday, May 17, 10:00 a.m.

Commencement: Ceremony One

Celebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

Friday, May 17, 4:30 p.m.

Commencement: Ceremony Two

Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

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Spotlight

UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.