Students launch letter-writing effort for classmates in active duty
Released: April 1, 2003
The Political Science Student Association (PSSA) has developed a project called “There’s No Place Like Home” to help the UW-Whitewater community stay in touch with classmates and colleagues called into active duty.
PSSA members, in collaboration with members of the Student Art Association, built a simulated "yellow brick" pillar, which will remain in the Horicon Center in the University Center for the rest of the semester. This will serve as a central location to post the names of UW-Whitewater students and staff who have been called to duty.
The group is currently working on getting legal approval to release names. Organizers will then post the names and pictures on the pillar and will invite everyone in the UW-Whitewater community to write postcards to those posted. The PSSA will provide the postcards, postage, affix the addresses, and mail them, after screening them for inappropriate content.
The project will be officially launched on Monday, March 31. The effort is directed not only to students and staff, but the friends and family members of UW-Whitewater students who have been deployed.
“Our intent was to transcend the growing polarization between the ‘Support America’ and ‘Pro-Peace’ groups on campus by establishing a common reference point,” said political science Professor Paula Mohan, PSSA advisor. “We are focusing on a shared concern across all political divisions — the well-being of those who have been deployed.”
The PSSA invites any member of the campus community to volunteer the name of a friend, family member, or fellow student who has been deployed. Every person posted is guaranteed at least one postcard a week from UW-Whitewater.
“We also hope that by posting the names, those people will remain in the consciousness of the community even if they are physically absent from Whitewater,” Mohan said.
PSSA has posted online a letter describing the project and a copy of the legal authorization form, which needs to be signed by either the service member or by the person given power of attorney. The form can be accessed at: http://facstaff.uww.edu/mohanp/pillarproject.html.
The primary student organizer, sophomore political science major Frank Woodruff, can be reached at woodrufffw22@uww.edu. Mohan can be reached at (262) 472-5772, mohanp@uww.edu.
- Brian Mattmiller,npa@uww.edu
