A first of its kind 18-credit program aimed at narrowing the military-civilian gap by educating students about American veterans is expected to launch during the upcoming fall semester here, Arizona State University officials announced this week.
Enrollment started Thursday for “Veterans, Society and Service,” ASU’s first undergraduate certificate dedicated solely to the study of veterans, military culture and how it relates to society.
“The media is flooded with representations of veterans as either homeless ‘head cases,’ or as heroes who are placed on a pedestal,” said Mark von Hagen, history professor and the director of ASU’s Office for Veteran and Military Academic Engagement. “Both are shallow binary portrayals, rendering society unable to make space for conversation.
“‘Thank you for your service’ is a cheap, throwaway line but it’s really not enough,” von Hagen said. “It’s a meaningless gesture unless you follow it up with something more significant.”
