Community and Outreach
Vietnam veterans appreciation event to be held March 29
Guest speakers at the event will be Dr. Yvonne Baldwin and Dr. Sean J. McLaughlin.
Baldwin is a retired MSU history professor, Vietnam War historian and author who was the spouse of a Vietnam veteran, the late LTC Alan R. Baldwin, the namesake of MSU's Veterans Resource Center. She taught at MSU for 24 years, serving in several roles, including as chair of the Department of Geography, Government, History and Paralegal Studies. She has published numerous books and scholarly articles on topics including the Moonlight Schools and the anti-Vietnam war movement in Louisville.
McLaughlin is an author, historian, and member of the Kentucky Humanities Council. He currently serves as the archives/museum director at Murray State. McLaughlin also has a long-standing interest in cross-border military service thanks to his paternal grandfather, a WWII Canadian Forces veteran who, after his discharge, crossed the St. Clair River and broke Canadian law to enlist in the US Army after the Pearl Harbor attack for a second tour in a different uniform.
Students from MSU's music program will perform the national anthem, and the Mountain Music Ambassadors of the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music will also perform. The Kentucky Folk Art Center will present an art piece and Pastor Anthony Mullins from Chi Alpha Campus Ministries will offer a prayer for the event. Those who attend the event will also have a chance to win prizes, including a Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 camera with Fuji instant film (20 Sheets) with an accessories bundle and gift cards.
Dr. Silas Session, director of military initiatives at MSU, said it's important to recognize Vietnam veterans' service because what they did often goes unrecognized.
"Many people may not know or remember that they received no hero's welcome when they returned," Session said.
The event is open to the entire community and the public is welcome.
The event will be held via WebEx and will also be streamed on Facebook Live. To join the WebEx meeting, visit www.moreheadstate.webex.com/ssession. To view the event on Facebook, visit www.facebook.com/MoreheadStateEagleVets. For more information, email Session at ssession@moreheadstate.edu.
For more information about MSU's Office of Military Initiatives, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/veterans, email veterans@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-9416.
