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Every year on November 11, Americans set aside time to honor the some 20 million active and former U.S. service members who have gone to war. Veterans Day is marked with parades, remembrances and gestures of thanks across the country, offering a nation’s gratitude to its armed forces.

This year, a student from Western Michigan University’s Haworth College of Business wanted to go beyond saying “thanks for your service,” and truly make a difference in veterans’ lives. With help from a mentor and her peers, she was able to turn her idea into a college-wide collaboration that would benefit dozens of veterans on this significant holiday.

Junior Allison Roelant, an accountancy major and vice president of the Accounting Club, was looking at the club’s meeting schedules for the semester when inspiration struck. “We had planned to hold a monthly meeting on November 11,” she says. “We decided instead to dedicate that week to serving veterans. When I shared this idea with other business student organization leaders, they seemed really excited, and many expressed the hope of joining in on preparation for the event.”

HELPFUL GUIDANCE  

Roelant’s idea was big. She wanted to figure out how to mobilize a large group of student volunteers to benefit the , which supports nearly 300 veterans in Southwest Michigan. Luckily, she knew exactly who to turn to for guidance.

 “Allison approached me to help her strategize how she could make this project work,” says Bob Stewart, career development specialist with the college’s Zhang Career Center. A Navy veteran himself, Stewart has an extensive background working with disabled veterans prior to his employment at 51������. “I was very impressed with her idea and immediately decided to help however I could.”

Stewart helped Roelant initiate the project by first pointing her in the right direction. “I know how difficult it can be to communicate with large organizations like the VA, and sometimes you just have to know the right people to get the ball rolling,” he says. “We worked together to find key stakeholders to make a project work on the VA side. Then we talked about a strategy to find volunteers.”

Stewart helped Roelant reach out to the medical center to see how a large group of Business Broncos could offer assistance. Roelant was able to connect with Todd Greenman, chief of volunteer and community services, who invited her to visit the hospital.

“I went to the VA in September with another student, Dylan Coleman, who is president of the Student Leadership Advisory Board,” Roelant says. “During the veterans’ lunch hour, we were able to hear some of their stories and why they were admitted to the medical center, as well as some of their wants and needs. Todd also provided us with a list of items that could be donated, and we discussed items that veterans may be looking for but don’t often receive.”

ASSEMBLE WITH CARE

The students determined that they could maximize their efforts by collecting donations—toiletries, books, thank you cards, etc.—which they used to assemble care packages for the veterans. They delivered the care packages to the medical center on November 8 and celebrated with residents by hosting a pizza and bowling party in their honor.

“I really enjoyed spending time with the veterans and creating personal relationships with those who have served our country,” Roelant says. “The party was fun and a great way for the students and veterans to bond.”

With several student organizations and members of the BUS 1000 class having participated in the project, the students collected enough items for 50 care packages. Stewart says he was proud to see Roelant and her peers take the reins on this project. “As a Navy veteran who has worked with veterans in need in the past, the value I see from service projects like this is twofold. The obvious value is the needed supplies that will help an underrepresented and sometimes forgotten population,” he says. “The intrinsic and cultural value is what the student volunteers will receive. They are giving back to those who have fought for them. Volunteers and donors should feel pride in their efforts to help make these veterans’ lives a bit brighter.”

ADDITIONAL EVENTS

A number of additional events hosted by the college and University are taking place throughout November in recognition of Veterans Day.

One included the college’s annual community service project at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta. The students spent a day cleaning a portion of the nearly 27,000 headstones at the site on Oct. 26. The project began in 2012 when the college was looking for a service activity in the community that could be repeated annually. Part of the project involves students attending an informational session before the trip to learn more about the history of Fort Custer and the significance of cleaning the headstones.

 “The Fort Custer event was very successful, as 306 business students, the entire Zhang Career Center staff and one faculty member showed up to clean a large area of the 770-acre property in order to prepare the space for Veterans Day,” Stewart says. “The students were extremely engaged in this process, and the experience was very rewarding. This was the most energetic and engaged group of volunteers we have ever had. I am truly thankful and humbled by their service.”