St. John’s Northwestern To Host Private Premiere Screening of ‘SIJAN’
Delafield, Wis. – St. John’s Northwestern is excited to host an event that will be a powerful evening of reflection, leadership, and legacy.
Starting at 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 29, SJN will host a private screening of “SIJAN,” a documentary telling the extraordinary story of Medal of Honor recipient Capt. Lance P. Sijan, a Milwaukee native.
The evening will feature Janine Sijan, a filmmaker and Lance’s sister. She is also the executive director for the Lance P. Sijan Foundation, which has shared the film with audiences around the world.
It is more than a film. It is a story of courage, sacrifice, and what true leadership looks like.
Sijan, who served with the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 366th Fighter Wing, died in 1968 at the age of 25 while serving with the Air Force in Vietnam. He grew up in Milwaukee and graduated from Bay View High School in 1960. After high school graduation, he attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School. Then, he was appointed to the Air Force Academy.
Among the awards he received were the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, and the Air Medal. In 1968, he was posthumously promoted to captain. Then, in 1976, he posthumously received the Medal of Honor, the highest military award, for his selflessness and courage in the face of lethal danger.
In 2018, “Sijan” was released to celebrate his life. The newly edited documentary features Gary Sinise as the narrator. Sinise is an Academy Award-nominated actor, as well as a recipient of a Golden Globe, an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award.
Sijan’s sister, Janine, has dedicated herself to maintaining the legacy of her brother with passion and pride. She owns RDI, a commercial film and photography studio. She travels the world, visiting corporations, universities, and various organizations to tell the story of her brother. She is an advocate of veterans’ issues, active duty military, the arts, film, and leadership development.
About SJN
St. John’s Northwestern is a safe, structured environment that provides each student a foundation for life with specialized programs that are built with future aspirations in mind. SJN is a private co-ed college preparatory boarding and day school and is accepting applications for grades 7-12 and post-graduate. Learn more at stjohnsnorthwestern.org.
About Lance P. Sijan Foundation
The work of the Lance P. Sijan Foundation is in three primary focus areas: curriculum development, leadership training, and multimedia production. All three of these have been created with the intention of giving its mission the greatest impact. Learn more at lancesijanfoundation.org.