VISCOM Students

 

 

VISCOM Students Lending their Skills

 

Linda Strelluf is professor at the University of Avila. Last spring Linda brought her students in her communications seminar a task to help the organization of HVWP. The Hospitalized Veterans Writing Project started as an outreach program for veterans returning from World War II. It allowed returning veterans write about their own personal experiences that they had. They could describe their feelings about their experiences to others who went through similar things. Even though HVWP was originally started for World War II, it helped those serving in the Korean, Vietnam and Gulf Wars. Also for the present time, it is helping the soldiers who were injured in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as well.

                HVWP wanted the students help in updating and re-designing the marketing and public relations plans for their magazine “Veterans’ Voices”.  The organization came to Linda Strelluf and said they wanted to reach out to a younger audience, which they needed to be updated on the latest technology. The project was name Writing from the Soul-For the Soul, the students were able to create a facebook page, brochure, and a new tagline. They re-designed the website to make it more approachable and organized. The website had new tabs that made it easier for the user to go exactly where they wanted to. Josh Grimes, a student in Linda’s class said “It was a lot of work, but the veterans can connect with each other easier now, they deserve everything that can help them cope, especially for all they do”

                The Avila students did recently find out that there campaign was a success, and that HVWP loved it. “They liked what we did,” Stelluf said. The board of directors accepted it and wants to launch it in October of 2012. It will be shown at the World War I Museum in downtown Kansas City. “It is such a great honor to be a part of an organization like HVMP,” Grimes implied.  Hoping that this project truly helps returning soldiers and allows them to get a peace of mind and have a full recovery while being back home.