Morrisville State College will host “Serving: Standing Down,” an innovative reading discussion program designed for military veterans to reflect on the transition from active duty to civilian life.
Veterans and those who support them are welcome to join the facilitated discussions based on the book Standing Down: From Warrior to Civilian, edited by Donald Whitfield.The discussions, made possible in part through a grant from the New York Council for the Humanities, will be held on Sept. 28, Oct. 26, Nov. 30 and Jan. 18, from 6-8 p.m. in the hospitality suite of the college’s athletic stadium.
Laura Pierie, MSC assistant professor of humanities, coordinator of the teacher education transfer program, member of the Morrisville Veteran’s Task Force, and army veteran, will lead the four sessions where participants will discuss a variety of thematically linked texts. Wyatt Galusky, associate professor and chair of the Humanities Department at MSC, will also be part of the discussion groups.
“We’re really hoping to better serve veterans in the community – students, members of the staff and anyone in the upstate area,” Galusky said. “It’s important to have a space where people can talk about their experiences and the sometimes difficult transition from active duty to civilian life.”
The program is free and open to the public; participants will be provided with a copy of the reader. For more information or to RSVP by Friday, Sept. 9, contact Wyatt Galusky atgalusky@morrisville.edu. To follow us on Facebook, visit: http://www.facebook.com/MorrisvilleStandingDown/. To learn more about the general reading group “Serving: Standing Down,” visit http://www.nyhumanities.org/discussion_groups/adults/standingdown.php.
Morrisville State College has been designated as a Military Friendly® School by Victory Media for its outstanding support to students who have served in the military.