The Xavierite
On Nov. 11, Veterans Day was being celebrated nationwide across the United States.
Beginning on Nov. 7, Saint Xavier University held a variety of events centered toward honoring the student veterans of the Saint Xavier community.
“A lot this week is to honor our veterans, obviously with Veterans Day having that purpose to honor veterans that have served in all wars, but also I think a lot of the programs that we do in this office, and with the Student Veterans Alliance is to bring awareness to campus that veterans exist here,” said Sherri Gross, Veterans Coordinator.
According to Gross, there are 124 military students that attend Saint Xavier University, and most times students are surprised at the amount of student veterans here on campus.
The Student Veteran Resource Center (SVRC), a center open to the student veterans of Saint Xavier, had a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 25, the first day of school of this year.
“The students were kind of clear that they did not want any big, formal, somber ceremony by the flag, or breakfast with the speaker. They just wanted to be within their community that they are comfortable in, and I think that is what the center does; it has created a community of veterans here that are turning into their own little family, which I think was important to have here on campus,” Gross said.
Not all of the events held for Vet Week were open to the public.
Some of the events held for Veteran Week were celebrated only among the student veterans here on campus in the SVRC, such as a private lunch on Nov. 10, the free massages on Nov. 12, and a special visit of the campus’s service dogs on Nov. 13.
On the first day of Veteran Week, Nov. 7, the staff hosted their monthly First Friday Tea, an event normally limited to the staff and faculty of the university; however, this time the staff and faculty members invited the student veterans to join them at this event to honor all student veterans at the university.
“We didn’t advertise everything outside of this office,” Gross said. “There were about three events that were open to the community, which were the movie, the mass, and the exhibit.”
There was an evening Veterans Mass held in the McDonough Chapel in the evening of Nov. 9.
The Student Veterans Alliance worked with the ministry, and the Parent and Alumni Relations to organize the ceremony.
There was a veterans’ blessing held during the mass. A dessert reception followed and closed the mass.
On Nov. 11, there was a screening of the movie Lone Survivor, starring Mark Wahlberg, in McGuire Hall in the evening.
This event was open to any student on campus that was interested in attending. There was also a wine and cheese reception beforehand in the Bishop Quarter Room.
On Nov. 14, the final day of Vet Week, there was a military exhibit in the Diner Atrium, open to all students that were interested in viewing the student veterans’ old gear, memorabilia, pictures, coins, patches and more.
Students were able to converse with the student veterans and find out more about them and their stories.
This is the first time that there was a week long event in honor of the student veterans that attend the university, and according to Gross, it appeared to be a big success in celebrating and honoring the student veteran individuals here on campus.
For more information regarding the Student Veterans Alliance or the Student Veterans Resource Center, please contact contact Sheri Gross, Veterans Coordinator, at gross@sxu.edu or (773) 298-3345, or visit the Student Veterans Resource Center located at WAC L-209.
Gisselle Lopez
News Editor