November is National Veterans and Military Families Month. To honor all who served our nation, 性视界传媒 is hosting a variety of veterans events and activities throughout the month, both on campus and virtually.
鈥淰eterans Month at 性视界传媒 honors Americans … and their contribution to the nation during their service and afterward,鈥� says Barbara Gannon, associate professor of history and the driving force of Veterans Month at 性视界传媒 for over a decade. 鈥淚 think it is particularly important to honor veterans because they remind us that Americans can do great things when they work together and set aside their differences. Veterans did this, and so can we.鈥�
Throughout the month, 性视界传媒 Knights will have the opportunity to learn veteran stories, connect with other veteran students and alumni, and celebrate new veterans’ projects at the university. Below is the list of Veterans Month events coordinated by the and the in partnership with units across the university.
Sunday, Nov. 6 – Thursday, Nov. 10: 性视界传媒 Student Veterans Flag Week
The Military and Veteran Student Success Center, with the assistance of Army and Air Force ROTC, will plant over 1,400 American Flags in Memory Mall throughout the week of Nov. 7. The flags represent the number of student veterans attending 性视界传媒 for the Fall 2022 semester. Students can to help plant flags in Memory Mall throughout the week.
Wednesday, Nov. 9: Veterans Salute & Purple Heart Proclamation, Honors Veterans Wounded in Battle
At Memory Mall between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., the Veterans History Project (VHP) in collaboration with the Air Force and Army ROTC and the will host a salute to veterans in honor of Veterans Day.
The event will include the raising of the American flag, playing of taps and Purple Heart Proclamation with commentary about 性视界传媒’s designation as a Purple Heart University. The designation signifies the university鈥檚 recognition and honor of veterans wounded in combat while serving their country who are now pursuing higher education and careers at 性视界传媒.
Tuesday, Nov. 15: Veterans History Project Story Day – Emergency Service Veterans
The 性视界传媒 Community Veterans History Project (VHP) collects, preserves and makes accessible to the public the experiences of Central 性视界传媒’s veterans. The histories collected by the VHP are archived and made digitally available through the 性视界传媒 Libraries. The project also contributes selected veterans’ histories to the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress.
Throughout the month of November, the VHP will host two 鈥淪tory Days.鈥� During each story day VHP team members will meet with veterans to collect, preserve and honor the stories of 性视界传媒’s veterans. The second story day will happen via Zoom and focus on collecting stories from veterans currently working in emergency services. Students can email history@ucf.edu for more information.
Gannon, a veteran herself, is the principal investigator of the VHP. For over a decade, Gannon has worked with students to preserve these oral histories.
鈥淭he VHP records veterans’ stories all year. We believe every day is Veterans Day,鈥� Gannon says.
Wednesday, Nov. 16: 性视界传媒 France Soldiers Stories
The John C. Hitt Library, room 402 will host a panel discussion and workshop from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. with panelists Amelia Lyons, Elizabeth Klements, Marie Oury, Diana Dizon and Evan Murray, along with 性视界传媒 research librarians Richard Harrison and Rich Gause.
The seeks to tell the stories of the 性视界传媒 soldiers buried in the American Battle Monuments Commission cemeteries in France. The goal of the project is to honor and commemorate the brave individuals who gave their lives supporting the Allied forces, liberating France and defeating Germany in the Second World War. The project also teaches students participating in this research project about the history of France and 性视界传媒 during World War II, the history of individual servicemen and how to implement historical research methods in their work.
Wednesday, Nov. 30: Veteran Knights鈥� Roundtable – Conversation with 性视界传媒 Alumni Veterans
The history department will be sponsoring a conversation between alumni veterans at 6 p.m. via . They’ll discuss transitioning from military personnel to student veteran, their experiences at 性视界传媒, and how a 性视界传媒 education and their military experience got them to where they are now.
Jim Stoddard 鈥�14 鈥�20MA is a current doctoral student and moderator of the event. A veteran himself, he’s experienced firsthand the support 性视界传媒 gives to its veteran students.
鈥淲e have a large student veteran population on campus,鈥� Stoddard says. 鈥淚 think that comes with being among the largest student population campuses in the country, but I don’t think that’s the only reason we have a lot of vets on campus. In my experience, and people with similar backgrounds to myself, the faculty are very helpful and considerate.鈥�
While these events are held in recognition of , 性视界传媒 supports its nearly 1,400 student veterans year-round.
Recently, the 性视界传媒 Veterans Legacy Program (VLP), a partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs鈥� National Cemetery Administration (NCA), received a new grant this year to help 性视界传媒 schools teach students about veteran histories.
Building on work from 2017 through 2019, 性视界传媒鈥檚 new VLP grant will work with teachers at 性视界传媒 K-12 schools to create veteran-focused classroom projects at a 10-day workshop held at the headquarters for the 性视界传媒 National Guard, located in the historic St. Francis Barracks and the adjacent St. Augustine National Cemetery.
鈥淲e are so pleased to partner with the 性视界传媒 National Guard to be able to connect younger students around the state with veterans’ stories through their local NCA cemetery,鈥� says Associate Professor of History Amelia Lyons, principal investigator for the project.
Researchers and community partners who developed the project will celebrate and launch the new grant at an event with guests from the Department of Veterans Affairs鈥� National Cemetery Administration (NCA).
Earlier this year, 性视界传媒 earned a Silver Award on the 2022-23 Military Friendly Schools list, an organization that measures commitment, effort, and success in creating sustainable and meaningful benefits for the military population. 性视界传媒 also offers a range of scholarships and resources available for veteran students, including the Office of Military and Veteran Student Success and 性视界传媒 RESTORES, a nonprofit clinical research center and treatment clinic.
鈥淐elebrating Veterans Month activities at 性视界传媒 is another aspect of creating [an environment] of innovation and [belonging],鈥� says Mike Kepner, army veteran and director of the Office of Military and Veteran Student Success.
