Staff and faculty invited to Green Zone summer sessions to help further support military-affiliated Purdue students

Last updated: June 10th, 2022

Purdue’s Veterans Success Center (VSC) invites faculty, staff, and students to attend upcoming summer sessions of Green Zone training, taking place this June and July.

As a former Green Zone panelist, the VSC’s new director, Morgan Torres, can relate to the many responsibilities military-connected students have while at Purdue.

“It’s important to know how to engage veterans in your class, to understand the obligations that current serving military students have, and what types of struggles many of our students may be facing,” says Torres. “Green Zone is simply an opportunity for faculty and staff at Purdue to better understand the military experience and learn practical ways to better support military-connected students here on campus.”

At the end of the training, participants will receive a badge to display in their work area indicating they are trained members of the Green Zone.

The training is free, but registration is required. Individuals who are interested in the two-hour workshop may sign up for any of the following sessions, as space permits:

• Green Zone: 2-4 p.m. on June 27, BRNG B212
• Green Zone: 10 a.m. to noon on July 15, ME 2061

Register For Green Zone Training

What are Some Benefits in Green Zone Training?

Dr. Zenephia Evans, associate dean of students, attended her first Green Zone training in November of 2019. Memorial Day had recently passed, and the impactful events of the holiday celebrations had inspired Evans to learn more about how she could best support military-connected students.

"Students that have served in the military have unique attributes that they bring to the table. Their lived experiences and college transition is different from traditional students who arrive on campus directly from high school verses serving in a military branch,” said Evans. “I wanted to better understand those lived experiences and help our military-connected students build connections at Purdue University.”

Since the program’s inception in 2008, the military-connected student population has nearly doubled from 600 students to 1,120 in 2021. With more Purdue students who are veterans, members of the military, or benefit-using family members, Evans says there have been more opportunities to put her training to the test.

“One of the many things I learned during my Green Zone training session that resonates with me, is that the natural curiosity of civilians may be deemed as intrusive and offensive questioning to our military-connected students,” Evans said. “I was walking through campus once and overheard a conversion between two students. One student, dressed in his military fatigues, was asked a particularly invasive question by another student. I quickly entered the conversation and changed the topic to a more lighthearted discussion.”

In addition to the workshop, there is also the Green Zone Student Panel held during the academic school year. The panel is made up of students from a variety of backgrounds, veteran, active duty, reserve or National Guard, ROTC, and family member. The panel is moderated with an opportunity for Q&A. Opportunities to participate in the Green Zone Student Panel workshop will be advertised in the fall semester.

Individuals who would like to participate in Green Zone training but are unable to attend the scheduled sessions may contact the Veterans Success Center.

Please visit the following links if you wish to preview a few discussion topics before attending a training.

VA Campus Toolkit

15 Things Veterans Want You to Know

Sources

Andrea Mattingly, Director of Communications for Student Success Programs, andrea@purdue.edu

Jamie Richards, Director of Veterans Success Center, jamie@purdue.edu

Zenephia Evans, Associate Dean of Students for Education and Advocacy, zevans@purdue.edu