This document discusses a common reading program called "The Big Read" that was conducted across multiple campuses to discuss the issues faced by Vietnam veterans and current veterans. The program aimed to start a dialogue between veterans and civilians through readings, panels, films, and art exhibits focused on works like The Things They Carried. Several professors and students shared how engaging with veterans and the literature helped them better understand veterans' experiences and perspectives. The program organizers encountered obstacles like scheduling conflicts but found that partnerships across campus and the community helped connect students to veterans and their stories in meaningful ways.

1. It Takes a Campus:
Embracing Veterans through
Common Reading Programs
Lisa Vassady, Alyssa Archer and Jennifer Resor-Whicker
Conference for Higher Education Pedagogy 2016

2. The Big Read & Common Reading Programs

3. Big Read NRV

4. Our Objectives
★ To open a discussion of issues faced by Vietnam
Veterans
★ To open a discussion of issues today’s Veterans
are facing
★ To help the local community understand
Veterans’ issues
★ To help children and extended family members
understand their Veterans
★ To provide a forum for Veterans and civilians to
be in dialogue

5. Obstacles
★ Personal experiences
★ Lack of scholarly literature
★ Emotional material
★ Big Read grant award timing
★ Campus partnerships
★ Building partnerships with
student, faculty and
community veterans

6. Finding Partnerships

7. Connecting with the Book
Photo by Joyce Taylor

8. Connecting with Students who Serve

9. Creating Safe Spaces

10. Creating Safe Spaces

11. Connecting with Veterans
“Several times in talking to the veterans they have mentioned
that our interview was the first time they had been asked to talk
about their experiences...I feel like we, as a society have possibly
forgotten to actually talk to these folks about their personal
experiences in the wars. My new fear is that maybe that crept
into a situation where we also have forgotten to talk to them
about serious societal matters – as veterans, their opinions will
have been shaped by things non-veterans have almost no concept
of. Their opinions matter and we need to remember that.”
Bud Bennett, Archives Assistant, Radford University

12. Partnership Snapshot: Dr. Michele Ren
“We required students to interview somebody – who was alive and old enough to
remember – about the era. We had some who had family members who went to the
war, a few who had family members who evaded the draft...Several students chose
the idea of a “return” to the sight of the war either literally or symbolically as
necessary for healing and used The Things They Carried, Heaven and Earth, and
their interview subject as “sources” for the required [class project]. One in my
section used the story of the nurse [Mary McGIll, RU Nursing faculty] who
presented on campus as a counter-argument to returning...I’m not sure how much of
an understanding the students were able to gain about the war because so many
resisted reading the book. But, I think without the panel, the films, the trip to the art
museum, their thinking about the era would have been even less.”
Michele Ren, Assistant Professor, English Department, Radford University

13. Partnership Snapshot: Professor Amy Van Kirk“

14. “My involvement in Elegy started off with thoughts of war stories in my own family. A lot of
members on my mom’s side of the family were enlisted in the Army, Air Force, or
Navy…Sometimes when we would talk about the stories in class or real life situations, I could
feel myself getting cold chills because I could never imagine going through that personally.
Sometimes when we would talk about the stories in class or real life situations, I could feel
myself getting cold chills because I could never imagine going through that personally….
...I could tell the Veterans in the crowd were
appreciative and that made me feel proud to be a
part of this group sharing this particular message
with people.”
. “

15. “My personal research and involvement mainly included analyzing the book, The
Things They Carried. Unlike other performers who had personal connections to the
Vietnam War, such as relatives, the book was my main source of inspiration.
Envisioning O’Brien’s journey through the war, inspired my movement and my
emotions while performing.”

16. Partnership Snapshot: Professor Ken Smith
“Having students illustrate a book cover is a fairly typical exercise, but in their case,
having it then lead to an exhibition added a lot more gravitas to the project. And it was
interesting to see all of their completely differing interpretations of what was
important or unique about the story. That, combined with a public
lecture/presentation, made it a pretty engaging project for them.”
“I rarely have the opportunity to put all my military
paintings on display at one time, so The Big Read
exhibition worked out great for me.”

17. Campus Symposium

18. Partnership Snapshot: University Support
bit.ly/bigreadnrv

19. Lessons Learned
★ Be realistic about time
★ Scheduling conflicts will arise
★ Some Veterans are not comfortable speaking about
their experiences
★ Coordinating multiple moving parts is tricky
★ Have a military minded person proofread your poster

20. Thank You!
Questions?
Lisa Vassady
ljvassady@radford.edu
Alyssa Archer
aarcher2@radford.edu
Jennifer Resor-Whicker
jrwhicker@radford.edu
Big Read NRV Website:
http://bit.ly/bigreadnrv
Photo by Lora Gordon