One campus organization is working to make the costly burden of textbooks and school supplies lighter on Texas A&M student veterans.
Aggie Shields, founded in 2012, is a student-run organization whose primary role is supporting student veterans financially and academically.
“Specifically, our goal is to help alleviate the financial and social stresses that many student veterans face in returning to school,” said Patrick Creighton, Aggie Shields member and agricultural leadership, education and communications graduate student.
One of Aggie Shields’ biggest service projects is the lending library, which offers veterans and their families access to textbooks free of charge. Aysia Howell, Aggie Shields member and zoology junior, said this is where the organization places most of its focus.
“This allows for some relief on the financial burden that is associated with going back to college, since most veterans have families to support,” Howell said.
The lending library, located in the Veterans Resource and Support Center in the Koldus Building, has a wide collection of textbooks donated by students through Aggie Shields’ end of semester textbook drives.
“We also sometimes ask professors if they have any extra textbooks they’d like to donate because often they have extra old editions of textbooks just around their offices,” said Kassie Stagner, Aggie Shields member and political science freshman.
Aside from the lending library initiative, Aggie Shields hosts a number of other events to benefit campus veterans.
“We have Bravery Bash in the fall, which is mainly just a big fundraiser for the lending library,” Stagner said. “During football season, we also do face painting at home games, which is also a big fundraiser for us.”
Joe Fitz-Gerald, Aggie Shields member and chemical engineering junior, said working with veterans is an honor.
“The most enjoyable part of being in Aggie Shields is meeting veterans and being able to hear their stories and how much they appreciate the work that we do,” Fitz-Gerald said. “Knowing that we do something that makes a big difference to people who defended our country is very rewarding.”
Students interested in joining the Aggie Shields can attend an informational Thursday at 8:30 p.m. in Rudder 707, or get more information online at www.aggieshields.com.
