Unleash growth: Veterans Resources provides leadership opportunities

She speaks of support. She defines a mission. She lists tools and skills. She praises collaboration. She defines leadership.

As she finishes her junior year at St. Cloud State, she continues a National Guard enlistment. That military background helped her connect with the first of what she describes as the communities for success at St. Cloud State.

Verkinnes graduated in 2015 from Hermantown High School, but didn’t come to St. Cloud State until spring semester 2016, after she had finished the Guard’s Advanced Individual Training. That made it hard for her to develop the typical freshman dormitory relationships.

“I missed out on being able to connect with students moving into the dorms in the fall,” she said. “And the military has a different mindset.”

Fortunately, she says, she found the Veterans Resource Center on campus and the Student Veterans Organization.

“I don’t think I would be as social as I am without that center. I met all my friends through there,” Verkinnes said. “I just grew and blossomed.”

She became the organization’s public relations officer, and she does work study in the center.

The center is the support hub for veterans attending St. Cloud State. The veterans group organizes activities that bring campus veterans together and brings veterans together with the community.

Verkinnes has helped put together and promote events such as a laser light show, snow tubing at Powder Ridge Ski Area, a veteran appreciation picnic and speakers on subjects related to veterans.

While the group would like to be focused on advocacy for vets, most recently it and the center have worked on replenishing and building an emergency relief fund they operate for veterans. The fund helps those who might need some money quickly because they’ve run short for their rent, tuition or even a little gas for their vehicle.

A monthly bake sale geared to a holiday helps the fund, but more importantly it helps with creation of a community – a community that offers advice, a little help moving or that helps an older veteran who needs a driveway.

“There’s such a need for these things on campus,” Verkinnes said. “Sometimes you just have a rough patch in life.”

She is particularly attracted to the work because she hopes to work as an advocate once she earns her undergraduate degree in communication studies with a focus on persuasion and advocacy. She’s paired that with an intercultural communications minor.

Verkinnes found another community for success among her professors.

UNLEASH GROWTH

She came to St. Cloud State undecided about a course of study and began general education courses. Then Professor Tami Spry strolled into her classroom.

“She had such grace and such an independent vibe to her, I was just so intrigued by her,” Verkinnes said, noting Spry’s distinctive dreadlocks.

Spry challenged social standards, Verkinnes said. “She definitely opened my eyes up to communication and the world we live in.”

That drew Verkinnes to another campus community, the Performance Studies Club. The group arranges events that examine issues and events.

“It’s taking an event in your life and asking yourself why did it happen, what did I learn and why did I respond the way I did,” said Verkinnes, who is vice president of the club.

Veterans Voice, for example, was a collaborative performance of veterans talking about the hardships in life, things they’ve experienced and what it’s like to be on campus.

“We talk about popular culture,” she said. “A lot of the events are geared toward topics we need to talk about right now.”

For a Feb. 14 performance, the club titled its performance “Can’t Buy Me Love: Valentine’s Day!!” asking performers to talk about the holiday, their best and worst Valentine’s Day memories and  relationship issues.

Students tell organizers they can relate to the topics and ideas.

“They leave thinking about what they’ve seen,” Verkinnes said. “That’s the goal.”

Verkinnes is excited to have given people from different backgrounds with different personal experiences a chance to share their perspectives with others on campus. 

She’s also found a community where she can share her perspective – on being part of the military, on growing up with a brother with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, on her own personal growth.

“I’m very proud to say I go to St. Cloud State, and I’m learning who I am, and I can become who I want to be. They let you be who you want to be.”

Her hope is that she can do for patients, especially veterans, what St. Cloud State has helped her do: Find her own voice, give others a voice and be a voice for those unable to speak for themselves.