Dec. 2, 2011
For Immediate Release

 

Students attending the first meeting of Campbellsville University's Upsilon Sigma Alpha (USA) Veterans Service Club were: front row—Chellsey Phillips, a junior from Campbellsville; Jason Newberry, a sophomore from Greensburg, Ky.; Joe Milazzo, a graduate student from Campbellsville; and Tom Finley, a junior from Campbellsville. Back row—Benji Works, a senior from Campbellsville; Gerry James, a freshman from Frederick, Md.; Kelsey McArthur, a sophomore from Saint Charles, Mo., who will go into the Army reserves in January; Jerome Smith, a freshman from Campbellsville; and Chaplain David Sandifer, coordinator of the Center for Bivocational Christian Ministry who is the sponsor of the club and also a veteran. (Campbellsville University Photo by Christina Kern)

By Christina L. Kern, office assistant

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky.— For those who have protected the freedom of our country, Campbellsville University has designed a new club especially for military and veteran students, Upsilon Sigma Alpha (USA) club.
Their first meeting was held on a day very special to each of them, Veterans' Day.

Tom Finley, a junior social work student from Campbellsville who is helping lead the club, said, “This veterans' club fits the university like a glove. The school emptied out during World War II because so many students went off to war. We have many veteran alums.”

Former CU President Dr. W.R. Davenport is also a veteran.

“We have more people coming back into the university who served, and we need to have a support group for them,” Finley said.

The goal of the club is to become a permanent structure, an ongoing thing, which will “support the government but not become a political debate,” Joe Milazzo, a graduate student from Campbellsville, said.

Milazzo is the student leader of the new club. He is a graduate assistant for the Chaplain David Sandifer, coordinator of the Center for Bivocational Christian Ministry, who is the sponsor of the club and also a veteran.

Another goal of the group is support for one another, especially support for those with post-traumatic stress disorder. “We want to build one another up,” Milazzo said. “We want to help prepare those going in and support them throughout their time in the military. And when they get out, continue to support them.”

Sandifer said, “There are things we all can learn from each other, and support each other.”

The club will also include members performing some service work. “We would like to do things for service members and their families — anything they need.”

The club hopes to raise funds for an on-campus memorial for veterans who have served and either graduated or attended Campbellsville University.

Members will also do humanitarian work in the community. “People would be surprised how much good is accomplished with boots on the ground in this country,” Sandifer said.

They also hope to eventually establish a scholarship for veterans and/or family members of veterans.

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.