First-Year Courses and our Chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society held the first “Saturday Social” of the semester for our freshmen today. It’s not a complicated event to put together – just show up and provide some support for students who need transportation. It helps the students find connectivity and friendships, the sorts of things that reduce alienation and isolation during the first year. Great turnout at Apollo Pizza!

Travis L. Martin, PhD, is founding director of the Kentucky Center for Veterans Studies at Eastern Kentucky University. He has established several nationally recognized programs to support returning veterans in higher education and the non-profit sector. A scholar of American literature, psychoanalytic trauma theory, and social theory, Dr. Martin presents frequently at conferences and universities. He has published dozens of research articles and creative short works on veterans’ issues. A former sergeant in the U.S. Army, he served during two deployments in the Iraq War (2003-04 & 2005). His book War and Homecoming: Veteran Identity and the Post-9/11 Generation is slated for publication with the University Press of Kentucky in 2022. He resides in Richmond, KY.