Veterans play an important role, not just in American society, but on the campus of Nova Southeastern University as well. While they are working toward their degree, our student veterans bring a wealth of knowledge to the total educational experience, interacting with faculty and fellow students enriching the lessons learned.
In honor of Veteran’s Day, NSU is welcoming the local theater group The Combat Hippies for an on-campus performance. The group consists of U.S. Armed Forces veterans who use their experiences from being deployed overseas in combat situations to fuel their artistic expression. It’s their coming to grips with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or what they now refer to as Post Traumatic Growth, that allows them to create a performance that is powerful, moving and humorous.
The Combat Hippies will be performing free for the NSU community – students, faculty and staff – at 5 p.m. Tuesday, November 10th in the NSU’s Black Box Theater, located within the Don Taft University Center, 3300 S. University Drive., Fort Lauderdale.
Since this performance is by U.S. veterans, all those within the NSU community who are veterans are cordially invited to attend – the event is by veterans, for veterans. Those wanting to attend are urged to RSVP to Kathleen Doyle via e-mail (kd737@nova.edu) or by phone (954-262-7009.)
Prior to the performance (4:30 p.m.) NSU’s President and CEO Dr. George Hanbury, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Ralph Rogers and NSU’s Executive Vice President and COO Jacqueline Travisano, M.B.A., CPA will conduct a “pinning ceremony” for any NSU student, faculty or staff member in attendance who is also a veteran. This is similar to the recent event that was part of the dedication of NSU’s renovated Veterans Resource Center on its Fort Lauderdale-Davie campus where veterans were presented with a specially commissioned red, white and blue NSU shark pin. This pin is only given to NSU veteran students and employees and signifies they belong to a very special group at NSU.
The Combat Hippies are a group of military veteran performing artists who promote Post Traumatic Growth through quality presentations and civic growth. They are led by world-renowned theater artist and director Teo Castellanos and backed by well-known Miami DJ Brinstone 127. The Combat Hippies are Hipolito “Beardman” Arriaga; Anthony “I.E.D.” Torres, Allen “Tatsel” Minor and Andrew “Dru Phoenix” Cuthbert.