On May 5th, 2016, Veterans Plaza at Sheridan College was the site of an unveiling ceremony of a two-foot-tall replica of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington D.C. Of the 100 replicas that were made, the one at Sheridan College is the only publicly displayed outdoor sculpture in the United States besides the original full-size version in the nation’s capital.
Veterans Plaza
Sheridan College first opened its doors in 1948 in large measure to support the returning World War II veterans that were taking advantage of the first GI Bill. In more recent years, Sheridan College has seen an increase in veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan returning to college. Due to this increase, new and improved programs have been added for veterans at Sheridan College, headed by Veterans Program Director Tyler Jensen. Click HERE to read an article regarding the need for Wyoming colleges to increase support for student veterans. Funding for Veterans’ programs at NWCCD is provided by generous donors to the Sheridan College Foundation.
In addition to serving the veterans that were pursuing an education, Sheridan College wanted to create a place to honor all veterans. To honor and recognize the service and sacrifice of all our Nation’s veterans, the college created the Veterans Plaza.
The new entrance to Sheridan College is home to the Veterans Plaza. Around 300 brick pavers were bought and engraved in honor of family members and friends who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. These brick pavers and a statue named “Freedom Isn’t Free” were installed in the Veterans Plaza and unveiled on Memorial Day, 2013. A second and final installation of approximately 100 additional brick pavers was unveiled on Veteran’s Day, 2014.
The following are photos of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial replica on display at Veterans Plaza.
The following are photos of the completed Veterans Plaza.
