On Friday, Sept. 18, online university Trident University International organized an event to support Operation Gratitude, which is a non-profit, volunteer organization focused on lifting the spirits and meeting the evolving needs of the military and first responder communities.
This is a cause close to the hearts of the entire Trident community, as students who are active duty, veteran, dependents, or in the National Guard make up 79 percent of the University’s currently enrolled population.
A group made up of Trident staff, faculty, alumni, students, and members of the general community created and collected a total of 1,063 letters.
In attendance was Assemblywoman Young Kim, California Assembly District 65, and a representative of California State Senator Bob Huff’s office. Both thanked the Trident community and acknowledged the importance of military and veteran outreach events such as these.
“Trident, with 22,000 military alumni, has had a long-time relationship with the U.S. Armed Forces, educating men and women of each branch of the services using its unique student-centered pedagogical model. In addition to providing items of need to military personnel, Operation Gratitude gives us a unique opportunity to convey to these men and women that the entire Trident community cares about them and the service they are performing for our great nation,” said Esmeralda Silva, Vice President of Outreach and Strategic Alliances.
Operation Gratitude sends over 150,000 care packages each year to deployed troops, veterans, new recruits, wounded soldiers, and their caregivers.
These packages, which are highly sought after by recipients, contain food, personal hygiene products, entertainment items, and homemade articles, all of which are meant to ease the emotional burden of being separated from loved ones.
Trident was founded in 1998 and is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission.