University of Memphis alumna Tina Flaherty presents award recognizing student veterans
Three University of Memphis student veterans received the inaugural Clement Santi Courage Awards on Friday. The awards and scholarships were presented to student veterans who have displayed "honor, courage and commitment during their service."
Presenting the awards was Tina Santi Flaherty, a U of M alumna who became the first female corporate vice president at three major U.S. corporations: Colgate-Palmolive, Grey Advertising and Verizon Communications. The awards were given in honor of her father, Clement Santi, himself a veteran of World War I. Flaherty described her father as a modest, compassionate man, but most importantly as "my hero."
"If he were alive today, (he) would be amazed that anyone would be even mentioning his name, much less honoring him," she said. "However, as his daughter and great admirer, I truly believe that my father, Clement Santi, was a man whose life story deserves to be told, as it is a powerful testament to the virtue of courage."
Santi immigrated to the United States in 1913, and enlisted in the U.S. military in 1917, joining the 114th Field Artillery Regiment. Santi was the cook for his battalion, but that did not preclude him from witnessing the horrors of World War I.
"In heat of battle, as bullets whizzed by killing most of his battalion, my father promised God that if he spared his life, he would remain a devout Catholic and go to Mass every Sunday for the rest of his life," Flaherty said. "And thus he did."
Despite not knowing a word of English when he immigrated, Santi would go on to open his own grocery store, marry and have four children, including Tina, before his wife was killed in a car accident after 17 years of marriage. Still, Flaherty said, he further showed incredible courage by continuing on "for the sake of his children."
"Today marks the first time that the Clement Santi Courage Awards have been given," Flahtery said. "Our recipients are military students, who like my father, love their country, and have chosen to serve their country with a dedication that exemplifies the very essence of courage. I couldn't be prouder to make this announcement within the halls of my alma mater."
Alexis Rhoden, one of the recipients of the award, returned to school to earn her master's in business administration. She credits her grandfather for inspiring her to join the army.
"I joined the military because my granddad was in the military. He kind of encouraged us to join so we can you know, pay for our education and XYZ," she said. "But when I joined, I realized it was a family. It was a different type of family, people that you can relate to on other levels that you just wouldn't... in the civilian world."
Rhoden returned to school to earn her master's in business administration. She said receiving the award and scholarship will be a huge help while she juggles both her education and her military service.
"For the family to even give us a scholarship, it means the world to me," Rhoden said. "It was hard for me to even apply to get back in school because I've been out of school for so long. I've been on orders... I switched over to the Air Force. So, it was hard for me to even try to get back in school with that transition. It just means the world to me, honestly."
Jacob Wilt is a news reporter for The Commercial Appeal. You can reach him at jacob.wilt@commercialappeal.com
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: New award at University of Memphis recognizes student veterans
