Campus & Community

Portrait of fallen U.S. Army staff sergeant, FIU student unveiled at Memorial Day ceremony

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U.S. Army Staff Sergeant and FIU student Jorge Jimenez
Portrait of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant and FIU student Jorge Jimenez, painted by Alex Radulescu

On Friday, May 26, FIU’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs hosted a ceremonial wreath-laying honoring Memorial Day at Felsberg Veterans Plaza on the Modesto A. Maidique Campus.

At the event, VMA unveiled a commemorative portrait of FIU student and U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Jorge Jimenez, who died in an accident while traveling to military training. Jimenez’s mother and sisters joined for the presentation of the painting, which was created by Alex Radulescu.

The painting will be displayed in the VMA office in TWR 100.

Felsberg Veterans Plaza is home to a bronze memorial statue of veteran and FIU alumnus Michael Felsberg ’03, a U.S. Marine who was killed in Iraq in 2004. The statue has been the site of Memorial Day and Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremonies since it was erected in 2017.

President Kenneth Jessell thanked the audience for joining FIU for the moment of reflection and remembrance.

“May we always carry with us the memory of those who have sacrificed everything for our freedom, and may we always honor their legacy,” Jessell said.

Wreath placed at Felsberg memorial statue