The UW-Whitewater Veteran Affairs office, headed by Veteran Coordinators Kris McMenamin and Amy Moore, hosted a series of Veteran’s Week celebrations from Nov. 11 to 15 in order to raise awareness and foster community.
The week started off with a ceremony on Monday, including a speech by Chancellor Corey King, which recognized the achievements of veterans in the campus community.
Later, the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America performed in the Greenhill Center of the Arts. Other activities throughout the week included bowling, an MRE eating contest and coffee in the Veterans Lounge.
“Student veterans, much like our non-traditional students, don’t always have the same amount of connections as our traditional students on campus,” McMenamin said. “So it’s kind of nice to organize things and offer them [a chance] to bring these students together.”
The week highlights the ongoing need for inclusivity for veterans on campus. For other students, “Returning to school after military service can be challenging, so try to have patience and compassion during their transition,” Moore said.
Veterans Week serves as an opportunity to help bring awareness to veterans’ issues.
“I always like to express my gratitude to our campus community here at UW-Whitewater,” McMenamin said. “Warhawks are always ready to help and support each other.”
The Veterans Affairs offices encourage veteran students to reach out with any comments or concerns to improve the environment on campus.
Recently, the Veterans Affairs office conducted an improvement survey of the 291 military member students. Of 103 responses, the majority of them raised concerns about the current Veterans Lounge.
Situated in Anderson Library, it is far from most of campus. There is only one private study room. To access a conference room, people have to walk through the lounge.
“It makes some of the veterans feel uneasy because someone is always walking behind you,” Moore explained. “That’s not always comfortable for military veterans.”
While there are no current plans for a move, it is clear that many students desire a new location for the lounge. Otherwise, Moore hopes to make these types of celebrations more frequent, perhaps once or twice a month.
