Centurion

Issue date: 12/8/09 Section: Campus News

ppreciates the new study area.
He's been using the Stars and
Stripes lounge since its inception.
Bradley Longowsky, 29, is an
Environmental Science major
who was formerly a machinery
technician in the U.S. Coast
Guard. He has served in places all
over the country, including
Hawaii. His duties, while enlisted,
included repairing helicopters
and the very large C-130
Hercules aircraft.
"I've been coming here since it
first opened. It's very nice and
quiet" said Longowsky. "It's also
great to have a computer to use
without having to wait in lines or
anything."
The Stars and Stripes lounge located
at room 112-4 in the Rollins
Student Center of the Newtown
campus gives Bucks military veterans
a quiet place to study and
relax during school hours.
The collaboration involving many
different offices of the campus resulted
in the success of the Stars
and Stripes lounge. Without help
from donations, and guidance
from the Student Life Office, this
"thank you" for our service men
and women might not have come
to fruition.
"The only thing that may make
this better would be a nice, big flat
screen TV," said Longowsky. "Oh
and you know if there was a bathroom
in here, I'd probably never
leave!"
Quiet and serene environments
are not usually what former military
members are accustomed to.
Fast-paced thoughts and actions
are required to assume the responsibility
of keeping this country
safe for all of us.
Carol Brandt, Administrative Assistant
of Student Life Services located
in Newtown, sees the Stars
and Stripes lounge as a great place
for Bucks veterans to take a
breather from the hectic place that
Newtown's campus can be.
"It's a very quiet place. Our military
veteran students have an opportunity
to use a computer we
have set up without much of a
crowd.
"We also try to keep up to date
newspapers and magazines for
them to read when they have
breaks from class," said Brandt.
Most of the furniture, appliances,
and artwork were donated
from other parts of the school, including
the Culinary department.
"This lounge has a coffee maker
so vets don't have to pay for it
while on campus, and also a refrigerator
that we stock with bottled
water for them to use freely.
These things were provided by
Culinary," said Brandt.
The walls are adorned by patriotic
themes such as a large American
flag and a photo commemorating
the Vietnam memorial. It is clear
that this is a place for veterans of
this country to feel welcome.

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