‘Military 101’ sheds light on military culture
By Theresa Servin
LOGOS STAFF WRITER
The University of the Incarnate Word is known for being the best in the nation in supporting our military and their families.
UIW takes pride in offering many resources to ensure students’ achievements are easily accomplished. The latest is Military 101, an asynchronous course provided by the military and Veteran Affairs.
Military 101 was created to assist military-affiliated students better. This course is a unique opportunity to understand the experiences of our military-affiliated students and explore the wealth of resources available to them.
Dr. Randall Griffiths, an associate professor and director of the sports management program, has meticulously designed and narrated the course to enhance military literacy among faculty and staff. By gaining a deeper understanding of UIW’s military-affiliated students, the hope is we can collectively create a more robust support system, thereby ensuring their success at UIW.
Military 101 was created in anticipation that, with better knowledge and understanding, students would have a much easier time being successful in the classroom. This would also allow professors to connect with students because they now understand what the military students might be going through and see things from their perspective.
Dr. Emily Dow, an assistant professor of kinesiology who took Military 101, said this course allowed her to have empathy for her students and to be able to choose her words when speaking to them carefully. She believes taking this course has allowed her an opportunity to have a better connection with her military-affiliated students, which, in turn, has helped them be successful and feel like someone understands what they are going through.
Griffiths has put his heart into this course. I had the privilege of reviewing it, and it is evident it was very well-thought-out and would make a significant difference. He added several fun elements to this course to ensure it would be something enjoyable to take. This is a volunteer course that should be taken by everyone who is able to do so.
San Antonio, also known as Military City USA, has a deep-rooted history with the military, as does UIW. Griffiths displays a solid commitment to creating a meaningful impact on our military-affiliated students.
With his guidance, faculty, staff, and administrators have the tools to provide exceptional support. Along with our award-winning Veteran Resource Center, Military 101 is an emotionally resonant and compelling resource that will help serve the military, veterans, and their families.
E-mail Servin at tservin@student.uiwtx.edu