Photo By Maj. Briana McFarland | CAMP TAJI MILITARY COMPLEX, Iraq - The Clemson Undergraduate Student Government...... read more read more
CAMP TAJI MILITARY COMPLEX, Iraq – This year marks the fourth annual “Walk for Veterans” event, which is organized through the Military Affairs Committee at Clemson University in order to raise money for the Clemson Student Veterans Scholarship Endowment.
The walk, which took more than eight months to plan, was originated by, now, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Austin McIlwain, assigned to the 449th Combat Aviation Brigade, during his senior year at Clemson University.
“I heard about the endowment from a friend of mine in the Reserved Officers’ Cadet Training program named Stephen Smallwood,” said McIlwain. “He was very involved in the Clemson Student Veterans Club and developed a fall fundraiser for the endowment. However, I saw there was nothing planned for the spring. There was a need there, so I started the Walk for Veterans.”
The first event occurred in April 2015 with more than 120 participants, raising $14,000 for the endowment. Although the first event was a success, it came with many difficulties to include getting buy-in from different stakeholders.
There were multiple 5 kilometer races on campus, but there weren’t any walks. This challenged McIlwain to plan the appropriate length and route for the event ensuring that his event was inclusive to all people.
“Clemson is historically a military school, so I wanted to use certain military heritage landmarks on campus,” said McIlwain. “The route was .8 miles and went from the president’s house to the “scroll of honor,” which is a historic landmark across from the football stadium.”
The scroll of honor is a memorial for all the Clemson Tigers that didn’t return home or passed away from wartime injuries.
In order for the event to become a success, McIlwain needed buy-in from the school administration, board members and sponsors. The mission of the event was three-fold, to honor veterans, raise money for the endowment and raise awareness of Clemson’s military heritage.
“It’s amazing that the [Walk for Veterans] still exists today,” said McIlwain. “I think the reason why the event is still around is due to the creation of the Military Affairs Committee. Without the support of the ROTC commander, student body president and student senate, the committee and the walk would have never happened. I have had the privilege of working with the past three military affairs directors, and they have done a terrific job making the event better each year.”
The current Clemson Undergraduate Student Government Military Affairs Director, Karl Bossard, agrees that the walk has had a positive influence on the school and is much needed.
“The annual walk for veterans brings together the Clemson family with participants of all ages and backgrounds,” said Bossard. “It’s a special opportunity to reflect on Clemson’s founding as a military university and the number of Tigers that have served our great nation.”
Since its founding, the Clemson Veteran’s Scholarship Endowment has raised more than $70,000 and Bossard said he hopes he can make the event bigger and better each year.
“We have partnered with the local community organizations to continue growing the walk,” said Bossard. “This year we have partnered with: the Clemson Calhoun Rotary Club, Military Officers Association of America, Purple Heart Homes, Upstate Warriors Solution, Clemson Undergraduate Student Government and the Student Veterans Association to make this an unforgettable event. We hope that in the future, we can partner with even more military affiliated organizations in this initiative.”
Bossard and McIlwain said they agreed that it is important to keep the walk going in order to honor those who served in the armed forces, especially those that attended Clemson University. The Walk for Veterans allows people from different ages and backgrounds to come together physically to support a great cause.
“The walk is a special Clemson tradition we hope will continue for many years to come,” said Bossard.
To participate or learn more about the Walk for Veterans event April 14th, please visit their website at www.raceroster.com/16809.
| Date Taken: | 04.09.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 04.09.2018 08:34 |
| Story ID: | 272245 |
| Location: | IQ |
| Hometown: | CLEMSON, SC, US |
| Hometown: | RALEIGH, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 176 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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