SMWC President Dottie King read the names of fallen soldiers during the College’s Veteran’s Day Remembrance.
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) will take part in the nationwide effort to honor American service women and men who died in Iraq and Afghanistan in the past 10 years. During the Remembrance Day National Roll Call, the names of more than 6,200 fallen soldiers will be read aloud by students and campus volunteers on the front lawn of Rooney Library at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Veteran’s Day, Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. More than 170 colleges and universities in 50 states plus the District of Columbia will participate in the event.
In conjunction with the roll call, SMWC will also host other activities to connect, support and honor service members and their families. These will include an open house for the new Military Family Resource Center and various stations to thank current military personnel and learn more about military life.
“The event focuses on honoring those who have sacrificed so much on our behalf,” said Kim LaComba, director, learning resource center. “The reading of individual names will be very poignant as it acknowledges a tremendous sacrifice of lives gone too soon.”
SMWC received a grant earlier this year from Operation Diploma, an initiative of the Military Family Research Institute to enhance services at the College for service members, veterans and their families. Additionally, the College is listed for the third year in G.I. Jobs Guide to Military Friendly Schools. To earn this distinction, the College met specific standards and evaluations by higher education administrators.
Students learn about military life by sampling a variety of Meals-Ready-to-Eat (MREs).
“Military-Friendly is not just a slogan for us,” LaComba explained. “We have developed programs and policies designed to boost academic success of veterans, student service members and their families. All have resulted in opportunities to earn a high quality college degree in our campus program and in our flexible distance program from anywhere in the world.”
The Veterans Knowledge Community of NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education sponsors the Remembrance Day National Roll Call nationally. NASPA is a 12,000-member association for the advancement, health and sustainability of the student affairs professionals. The Veterans Knowledge Community (VKC) mission is to advocate for best practices to help student veterans transition to college and succeed.
For more information regarding academic success of veterans and student service members, visit www.smwc.edu/military or contact Kim LaComba at .