Anyone passing through the Quad at UC Davis this week would be hard-pressed not to think about the nation’s service members, thanks to the work of volunteers who tied dozens of yellow ribbons around trees Monday (Nov. 4).

Dean Bunn, an application developer with the College of Engineering, said he took time out of his day to tie ribbons to show his support for active-duty service members and to meet other veterans. Bunn said he is a disabled veteran who served in the Army from 1994-2000, and said after two deployments to the Middle East, he knows first-hand what it's like to be away from family and friends for extended periods of time.

“I love that campus supports both veterans and their dependents with obtaining their educational goals,” Bunn said.

The tradition of tying yellow ribbons — which have a long history of being used to show support for military service members — began on campus in 2011. It was the brainchild of Felipe Grimaldo, a Marine Corps veteran who was a student at the time.

Numerous staff members from the Veterans Success Center helped carry out this year’s ribbon-tying, including students who serve as peer advisors. The center is holding other events this week, including the annual Vet Net Ally Training to teach new university employees about the campus’ population of veterans, and the best ways to support them. That event has reached capacity and registration is closed.

The university will be closed on Nov. 11 in observation of Veterans Day.