College of the Ozarks has rounded out their line-up of speakers for their Fall Patriotic Symposium.

Ryan Manion, president of the Travis Manion Foundation, is the fifth and final featured speaker to be announced as part of The National Symposium on Patriotic Education, to be held via livestream Sept. 16-17, 2021.

The purpose of the Symposium, which is hosted by The William S. Knight Center for Patriotic Education at College of the Ozarks, is to revive historic American values and virtue on the eve of the 250^th anniversary of America’s founding. Manion joins other speakers, including Dr. Ben Carson, former United States Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, former White House press secretary, Edward Graham, assistant to the vice president of Programs and Government Relations for Samaritan’s Purse, and Mike Pence, 48^th Vice President of the United States.

Ryan Manion has dedicated her life to supporting our nation’s military, Veterans, and families of fallen heroes. She is inspired by the character, leadership, and sacrifice of her brother, First Lieutenant Travis Manion, USMC, who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Al Anbar province of Iraq while drawing fire away from his wounded comrades on April 29, 2007. Serving as the President of Travis Manion Foundation since 2012, Ryan leads a national movement focused on assisting Veterans and families of the fallen to take the next step in their personal journeys and inspiring the next generation of leaders. As a highly regarded advocate for the military community, Ryan has been invited to address national audiences on numerous occasions.

Dr. Marci Linson serves as vice president for patriotic activities and dean of admissions at the College.

“The College was honored to work alongside Ryan to bring recognition to Missouri’s Gold Star families in 2017 when we installed The Missouri Gold Star Families Memorial at Patriots Park,” Linson said. “Ryan’s passion springs from a deep place of credibility, having lost her brother Travis who died while serving in Iraq. Yet, she tenaciously picked up the mantle of service with her brother’s ‘If not me, then who?’ attitude and works diligently to inspire others to lead courageously and boldly. I admire Ryan’s dedication and diligence in keeping Travis’s legacy alive, thereby impacting leaders for generations, especially those who have experienced the same pain and loss she has.”

During the Symposium, participants can expect to hear from nationally known speakers, experience patriotic education programs, connect with thought-leaders and practitioners, and access innovative patriotic education content and resources.

To learn more about this complimentary event, and to register, visit: https://cofo.edu/nspe

(Press Release from College of the Ozarks)