Student vetearns hold regional summit, rally to clear historic burial ground

By Katie Corbitt
Posted 6/14/16

About 40 student veterans brought some order Thursday afternoon to what has been identified as the burial grounds for Warwick founders Stuckley Westcott and his wife. The site, in a wooded area behind the fire station at the intersection

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Student vetearns hold regional summit, rally to clear historic burial ground

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About 40 student veterans brought some order Thursday afternoon to what has been identified as the burial grounds for Warwick founders Stuckley Westcott and his wife.

The site, in a wooded area behind the fire station at the intersection of Sandy Lane and West Shore Road dates to 1659 and was found by the Warwick Historical Cemetery Commission. There are no visible gravestones and the area was a jumble of vines and trees felled by last August’s macrobust.

The cemetery commission was anxious to clean it up, but didn’t have the manpower to do it until the student veterans showed up.

The 40 student veterans came from across the Northeast for a three-day Leadership Institute Series. A chapter-based organization, this series trains student vets to lead the chapter they are a part of on their respective campuses.

“It’s just like any other student organization on campus,” said president and CEO of the Student Veterans of America, Jared Lyon. Based in Washington, D.C., Lyon said connecting with other veterans is so important. “Do they have a friend?” he said, one of the most important factors to a successful undergraduate experience.

Student Veterans of America provides these connections. It brings together veterans who are all older than a typical college student, usually in their 20s or 30s, and who have also been in service.

“We’re just like every other student, but we’re a little older,” said Lyon. These similarities provide a common ground.

Another similarity they have is a strong desire to serve.

“Veterans have a high propensity for service…that idea of continued service is what we’re all about,” said Lyon. Each chapter is connected to their community, serving it in different ways.

Anthony Paolino, head of Military and Veterans Affairs for General Dynamics Electric Boat and an Air Force veteran, who was instrumental in establishing the state Student Veterans Organization, was also on site. He said the state organization numbers about 600 student veterans.

Also present and wearing gloves as she helped clean up was Ward 3 Councilwoman Camille Vella-Wilkinson. She said the organization initially intended to hold the summit in Newport, but that costs exceeded the budget. She said she contacted Karen Jedson in the city’s department of tourism and arrangements were made to hold the event at the Radisson in Warwick.

Looking to do a community service activity the first day of their summit weekend, Eric Gage, director of SVA chapter services and a student leader at University of South Dakota, said the group was “kinda scrambling to find something to do.”

Pegee Malcolm, president of Warwick’s Historical Cemetery Commission, said she “received a phone call last week that around 40 people were looking to do something.” It turned out to be “one of the best things that could happen to the cemetery commission,” she said. “It would’ve taken days and days to do what they’re doing in hours.”

Used to working hard and serving the community, the student vets were right in their element.

Jesse Perkins, president of the SVA at Northshore Community College, retired from the Marine Corps after serving for 22 years. Perkins said he “thought it would be a challenge, but it’s been pretty smooth.”

“There’s a lot of stuff going on at school,” Perkins said, with their SVA chapter doing toy drives, blood drives and refurbishing old playgrounds, to name a few.

“My favorite part is just giving back to the community,” said Perkins. Majoring in criminal justice, he is looking at going to either Northeastern or BU after Northshore. Perkins said that all the SVA members graduating this year but one are planning to attend a four-year college next year. “We’re very proud of the veterans for going on.”

“It continues service after you take off the uniform,” said Lyon.

With two-thirds of student vets being first generation college students, Lyon said the SVA provides support, helping the veterans to transition.

Recent Roger Williams University graduate Helen Vielman said the SVA has been “very supportive since I’ve been back.” Graduating with a bachelor’s degree in health care administration, Vielman was hired by the veteran affairs department through veteran connections.

“We’re a tight community,” she said.

On Friday the vets would put aside their work clothes and head to meeting rooms, where they would receive “innovative training for running chapters on campuses,” said Lyon. General Dynamics was a sponsor of the summit.

With the goal of the weekend being to develop chapter business plans, clearing the gravesite served as an icebreaker of sorts.

“They’re an amazing group of men and women,” Lyon said, watching as a group carried an entire tree through the woods.

MAKING IT LOOK EASY:

A team of student veterans carry one of many fallen trees from an area identified as the site for Warwick’s first burial ground dating back to 1659. The community project was part of a three-day summit held in Warwick by the Student Veterans of America. DOING THE JOB:

Eric Gage, director of SVA chapter services, takes a break to chat with Sue Cabeceiras of the Warwick Historical Cemetery Commission. (Warwick Beacon photos)

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