By Katlin Sweeney

Features Editor

Earlier this month, students had the opportunity to give back to the men and women who have served our country.

In the course Art and Social Change, students learn how to become leaders and change their society with art. Students Courteney Henley, Megan Koelln, Shayna Benavidez, Jorge Hernandez, Aimee De Leon, Kelsey Pinedo and Salisha Carr are taking what they have learned in this class to help the veterans on campus.    

The Art and Social Change has already collected 100 books and $100 in donations for CSUSM’s Veteran’s Center, but they hope to surpass this amount with donations from students, staff and faculty on campus.

According to group member Courteney Henley, the idea to help the veterans on campus came from fellow group member Aimee De Leon, who knows people in the Veteran’s Center and after talking to them, recognized the need for textbooks and reading books.

“It is important that veterans receive textbooks and reading books because textbooks are expensive and some [veterans] can’t afford them, so we thought as a group, it would be nice of us and the whole school to donate used textbooks that we’re not using anymore and give it to them,” Henley said.

On April 9 and 11, the Art and Social Change group and veterans from the Veteran’s Center held events to encourage students to donate books and art pieces. The veterans cooked hamburgers and gave out desserts to those students that stopped by and donated.

For students that missed the opportunity to donate earlier this month, the Art and Social Change group has created more ways that students can contribute to their cause. There will be bins set up around campus where students can drop off their books and art pieces for donation or students can go to the Veteran’s Center in the third floor of Craven Hall in room 3724 and deliver them personally.

If students have any questions about donating or the project in general, email [email protected].