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St. Thomas University Students Service Learning Project

1/4/2017 10:08:46 AM

/mdva/assets/2016-12-29-st-thomas-3_tcm1066-269597.jpgSt. Thomas students interviewing a resident On Thursday, October 6, approximately twelve University of St. Thomas, Wartime Literature students arrived at the Minnesota Veterans Home-Minneapolis for the first of five weekly visits.  

The focus of their visit was to have conversations with a group of Residents who could help  students better understand the realities of enlistment, training, deployment, warfare, their return back to civilian life and finally, how those years of service impacted their careers and life.  

Their task at the end of the five weeks was to put all their notes into a written document that reflected, to their best ability, the life of the Veterans they had the privilege of getting to know.

/mdva/assets/2016-12-29-st-thomas-2_tcm1066-269596.jpgStudents with a Resident On Thursday, December 8, students returned with their documents in hand and smiles on their faces.  The next few hours were shared enjoying pizza and presenting their projects to each Veteran.  Tears were present in both the eyes of Residents and students knowing the project had come to an end. A few students even asked if they could return to visit as time allows. A lot was learned by both students and Residents; as one student noted, "I thought this was going to just be a class project. Now I realize I have made a relationship that goes beyond this class and will be with me the rest of my life."


/mdva/assets/2016-12-29-st-thomas-4_tcm1066-269599.jpgStudents with a Resident holding his service picture /mdva/assets/2016-12-29-st-thomas-1_tcm1066-269593.jpgStudents with a Resident

Minneapolis Veterans Home

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