As assistant director of Sport & Exercise Sciences in the College of Nursing and Health Science, Rosie Pumariega helps students every day. One student’s struggle, though, led to a first for Barry: a partnership with the Plantation Police Department Outreach Center to gather toiletries to send to deployed soldiers.
“I met a student veteran who was in one of our programs,” Pumariega said. “He started out doing fine, but unfortunately, midway during the semester, he stopped attending and was having problems.”
The student ended up dropping out, but Pumariega said it made her realize that there was much she didn’t know about military culture and student veteran transition issues.
Pumariega set to work learning what she didn’t know. Along the way, two student veterans asked her to be the advisor of Student Veterans of America (Veteran Student Association) on campus. The student club is a community and resource network that helps military-affiliated students achieve a successful transition from military to student life.
“I jumped at the idea,” she said. “Being a part of the club has helped me to learn so many things.”
Pumariega followed the Barry Core Commitments of knowledge, social justice and collaborative service.
“First, I sought knowledge about our student veteran population on campus,” she said. “I felt that as an inclusive university, we should embrace the student veterans and the military affiliated at Barry.”
She pursued social justice by serving those who serve and served our country.
Finally, she collaborated with Kate Andrews of the Plantation Police Department Outreach Center by sponsoring a drive to send care packages to those who are serving overseas. Pumariega also worked with Susan Gotlieb from Ojus Elementary. Gotlieb’s fifth-grade class created cards of thanks that were included in the care packages.
Pumariega said she counts the fall veterans’ event a success.
“I am proud that Barry collected enough toiletries and snack items to send 60 boxes to the service members who are deployed,” she said.
Though it was a learning process for Pumariega, it was one that paid off handsomely.
“I am proud to be a small part of helping the military affiliated in any way I can,” she said. “Their sacrifice and service to us could never be repaid, but we can all do something to help.”