The Women’s Center partnered with Wright State University's Veteran and Military Center to support and celebrate the sacrifice of veterans, especially those on campus. The tea party event served as a way for students and members of both groups to come together to share pastries and stories.
About the event
On Tuesday, March 18, members of the Culture and Identity Center, or CIC, hosted a tea party to invite active duty service members and veterans to enjoy community with one another and to share their stories with others.
Bobbie Szabo, the Director of the Women’s Center, set this event up to spotlight women who have been active duty service members while providing food and drinks for a fun social event.
It is important to create space to do this, as many people do not realize the sacrifices of so many veterans around them.
Seth Gordon, the Director of the Veteran and Military Center, shared why it is necessary to see veterans in events, such as the tea party.
“Most of the time when people hear the word ‘veteran,’ they’re picturing their grandma in an army hat, but we have active duty service members on campus who are as young as 19. This event is trying to change people’s perspective of what a veteran is,” Gordon said.
Isabella Monzon is an active service member in the military, working as an MP, which stands for military police, and functions as a security force. She is only 20 years old and shared a little bit about her experience in the military.
“For this job, our primary duty is to ensure all personnel and vehicles entering the installation have authorized access, patrolling controlled areas, and responding to any and all active threats on base,” Monzon said.
Veterans on campus
There are over 700 students who use the Veteran and Military Center every semester. This includes members who are veterans, who serving on active duty, those in active reserves, or spouses and dependents of a member from one of the other groups. With so many students affected by the military, it is important to have resources for them.
The purpose of the Veteran and Military Center is to meet students where they are and leave them better off than when they first arrived. Each member is treated individually to best fit their personal needs.
There are many student opportunities at the Veteran and Military Center outside of the veterans, as they utilize student ambassadors to work with other students who need assistance through the center.
Part of the purpose of this event was to shed light on the women who serve or have served in the military, as they are often forgotten or left out of the conversation.
Steve Beynon, a writer for the Military News site, shared some statistics about enlistments over the past year, and the importance of women recruits.
“Nearly 10,000 women signed up for active duty in 2024, an 18% jump from the previous year, while male recruitment increased by just 8%, the data shows,” Beynon said.
People of all different demographics join the military, and it is important to recognize their efforts and sacrifices, as they have been overlooked in the past.
“We partnered with the CIC to try and change minds about veterans and to celebrate the veterans who don’t always get recognized,” Gordon said.
The Veteran and Military Center and Women’s Center are both excellent resources for students and a place where they can find community with one another and continue to share their stories.
