JOHNSON CITY (Nov. 12, 2020) – Members of the East Tennessee State University community observed Veterans Day through the launch of a special digital exhibit, opening applications for a veteran entrepreneurship program and a traditional ceremony to honor fallen alumni and all military service members.
Veterans Day Ceremony
As part of the Veterans Day Ceremony, cadets from ETSU Army Reserve Officers’ Training
Corps (ROTC) conducted the Placement of the Wreath ceremony and Master Sgt. David
Tirko led a roll call of fallen alumni. The ceremony concluded with “America the Beautiful”
played on bagpipes. Event organizers were ETSU’s Veterans Affairs Standing Committee,
Office of Veterans Affairs, Student Veterans of America and Department of Military
Science
Digital exhibit of WWII newsmaps
The Documents/Law/Maps Department of the Sherrod Library has partnered with the Archives
of Appalachia to curate a digital exhibit for Veterans Day.
Through this effort, six of the Library’s World War II Newsmaps, along with local
materials that correspond to the dates on the maps, have been digitized and made available
for public view.
According to Paul Nease of the Sherrod Library, the newsmaps, which were published
by the U.S. Army Information Branch to motivate and inform American military personnel,
summarize weekly developments of military action abroad. The local materials include
letters written by soldiers to their families back home, photographs, newspaper articles
and other materials that tell stories of the war’s impact on residents of East Tennessee.
To view the exhibit, visit https://bit.ly/35trk2R.
Applications open for veteran entrepreneurship program
ETSU is now accepting applications for STRIVE, a free entrepreneurship training program
for veterans, Reserve and National Guard members and their spouses, set to begin in
March 2021.
STRIVE - Startup Training Resources Inspiring Veteran Entrepreneurship, is an eight-week
cohort led by faculty members in the College of Business and Technology. Participants
will engage in online learning, meet one evening per week and be connected with mentors
in the community. STRIVE students will receive personalized instruction and assistance
relevant to the growth of each business concept.
“ETSU is well-positioned to connect veterans with existing programming, experienced
faculty and a community of successful entrepreneurs. We will utilize available resources
within the College of Business and Technology, including the Tennessee Small Business
Development Center (TSBDC), to provide practical hands-on instruction. The STRIVE
curriculum aims to help veterans build confidence in their business concepts,” said
Dr. William Heise, professor of management and marketing and director of the MBA program
and STRIVE programs at ETSU.
ETSU’s STRIVE cohort will begin in March 2021. Applications are accepted through Dec.
31, 2020 and spots are limited. There is no cost to attend and graduates of the program
may qualify to apply for business funding from various agencies. Classes will meet
one evening per week.
To learn more about STRIVE, including an outline of the course schedule, or to submit
an application, visit etsu.edu/strive. For more information, contact STRIVE@etsu.edu or 423-439-5395.