Events

Special events were held in conjunction with the exhibit Transforming Society: The GI Bill Experience at NC State. The main public event is described below.


November 12, 2004, 1:00 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.: Symposium, McKimmon Center

Following a keynote address by Dr. Milton Greenberg, a panel discussion was moderated by professor Robert Serow of the NCSU College of Education. Panelists included associate professor of political science Suzanne Mettler of Syracuse University, who had recently completed a book entitled Soldiers to Citizens: The GI Bill and the Making of the Greatest Generation; Lt. Col. (Ret.) Sion Harrington III, the military collection archivist at the North Carolina Office of Archives and History in Raleigh; and NC State alumnus Ted J. Meyer (Class of 1948), who served in World War II. Other veterans, students, and members of the larger community had the opportunity to share their stories and perspectives in smaller break-out sessions. The symposium concluded with remarks by Burley Mitchell Jr. (Class of 1966), a former chief justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina.
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Dr. Milton Greenberg
Courtesy of American University.
Photo by: Jeff Watts.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Greenberg is Professor Emeritus of Government at American University in Washington, D.C., where he served as provost and interim president. A veteran of WWII, he earned his degrees with support from the GI Bill. In 1994 he was invited to guest edit a special issue of the American Council on Education’s magazine, Educational Record, "The GI Bill’s Lasting Legacy." Subsequently he was engaged as a consultant for and appeared in the 1997 PBS documentary The GI Bill: The Law That Changed America and wrote the companion book for the production. In 1998 he was selected to dedicate a postage stamp in honor of the GI Bill, at which event Vice President Gore also spoke. At the request of the U.S. State Department he will write a chapter on the GI Bill for a publication to be distributed to international audiences entitled, "Twelve Turning Points: Decisions That Made America."

AGENDA  
1:00 p.m. Registration
1:30 p.m. Keynote Address
Milton Greenberg, Professor and Provost Emeritus, American University, author of the PBS documentary companion book The GI Bill: The Law That Changed America
2:15 p.m. Panel Session
Moderator Robert Serow, Professor of Educational Research and Leadership, NCSU College of Education
Suzanne Mettler, Alumni Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, author of Soldiers to Citizens: The GI Bill and the Making of the Greatest Generation (Oxford University Press, forthcoming)
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Sion Harrington, Military Collection Archivist, Office of Archives and History, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, and GI Bill beneficiary
Ted Meyer, President of Greenwood Engineering (Ret.), NC State Class of 1948, World War II veteran, GI Bill beneficiary
3:00 p.m. Break with Refreshments
3:15 p.m. Concurrent Break-out Sessions
An opportunity for veterans, students, and members of the larger community to share their stories and perspectives.
World War II Veterans
Facilitators:
Milton Greenberg
Ted Meyer
Millie Veasey, St. Augustine's College, Class of 1953
Post-World War II Veterans
Facilitators:
Kathryn Maitrejean, Air Force ROTC Cadet, NC State University
Bobby Moore, Air Force ROTC Cadet, NC State University
Richard Peterson, Associate Professor, Math, Science and Technology Education, NC State University
Jules Rivera, doctoral student, NC State University
4:00 p.m. Closing Remarks
Justice Burley Mitchell Jr., NC State Class of 1966, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina, GI Bill beneficiary