UTD Has Spot in Heart for Purple Heart Recipients, Earns Designation

The University of Texas at Dallas has been named a Purple Heart University in recognition of its support of military veterans and their service and sacrifice.

The designation, given to academic institutions by the Military Order of the Purple Heart, is an immense honor, said Marijke Gray, an Army veteran and director of the Military and Veteran Center (MVC) at UT Dallas.

“At UTD, we proudly acknowledge the sacrifices and dedication of those who have lost their lives, been injured during duty and serve our nation with valor,” she said after a ceremony April 8 held at the Visitors Center and University Bookstore atrium. “We are living our Comet pride in every act of gratitude and remembrance.”

The ceremony, which drew a crowd of nearly 100 people, also included the dedication of a campus parking space for Purple Heart recipients.

Healthcare studies junior Andrew McAlexander, an Army veteran and president of the UTD chapter of the Student Veterans of America, led the initiative to designate the parking space as a project for the National Veterans Leadership Foundation. He said it’s a symbol of respect.

“It’s a daily reminder of Purple Heart recipients’ courage and sacrifice right in the heart of campus,” McAlexander said.

Navy veteran Clifton S. Bland, assistant director of the MVC, agreed.

“For many students — especially veterans returning to academic life — this reserved space represents more than just convenience. It embodies a commitment from our community to honor their service, recognize their sacrifices, and reinforce the deep bond between the military and civilian worlds,” he said.

McAlexander said that the Purple Heart University recognition and the parking space were the work of many people, including Dr. Gene Fitch Jr., vice president for student affairs, whom he singled out for his advocacy and encouragement.

“When we come together, we can make meaningful changes with lasting impact,” McAlexander said.

The MVC was presented with proclamations from U.S. Reps. Keith Self and Pat Fallon during the ceremony. It also received a flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol to commemorate UTD’s designation as a Purple Heart University.

“This recognition means the University sees you. This university is saying we see your service and your contributions — not just on the battlefield, but also in classrooms, offices and our community,” said retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. William O. Dwiggins, who earned three Purple Hearts for his combat injuries, including being hit in the head twice by shrapnel in Afghanistan.

Army Lt. Col. Gregory LeClair, professor of military science for U.S. Army Cadet Command’s Comet Battalion, which includes UTD and several other Reserve Officers’ Training Corps universities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, said the Purple Heart is the epitome of personal sacrifice.

More than 1.8 million Purple Hearts have been issued, many of them posthumously, he said. LeClair’s father, who earned a Purple Heart, displayed the medal in his study.

“I remember asking him, ‘What’s that?’” LeClair said. “And my father said, ‘That’s for loving the men and women to my left and to my right. That’s for loving my country.’”

Since 2012, the MVC has been home to UT Dallas’ student veterans and military-affiliated students. Last fall, UTD ranked 70th overall and third among public schools in Texas on the Best Colleges for Veterans list by U.S. News & World Report. For each of the past four years, the University also has received the Veteran Education Excellence Recognition Gold Award from the Texas Veterans Commission.