The Veteran and Nontraditional Student Center Bulletin Board
Photo by Alicia Zoltowski | The Promethean
The Veteran and Nontraditional Student Center (VNSC) is ready for the holidays as it puts ornaments on its 2025 giving tree. The VNSC serves roughly 1,400 students at the University of Wisconsin-Superior (UWS). The giving tree has supported dozens of students with families in the last decade since it started in 2013.
VNSC Giving Tree on Nov. 18
Photo by Georgia Youngblood | The Promethean
Lynn Lowney is the veteran’s services coordinator at the VNSC and is the go-to person for anyone with questions regarding operations there. “The ornaments are filled out by student parents. Anybody that’s enrolled in UWS can fill one out for their children,” said Lowney.
Over ten families will benefit this year from the generosity of the doners. “The giving tree is a really cool program because a lot of the time it is hard for college students to afford Christmas presents. From the kid’s perspective, we have nothing to do with this. We don’t want any credit for that,” said Lowney.
Emen Essien is a part-time non-traditional student at UWS. He uses the VNSC as a resource while navigating life in college. Essien emphasized how much they have helped him, and he enjoys stopping into the office as he has gotten to know the employees. He has participated in the giving tree festivities both as a giver and receiver. “Last Christmas they helped with gifts for Zion [his kid], and those were things I couldn’t afford at the time,” said Essien. This year he plans to donate to one of the families in need. “They have been a big help in the past so anything I can do for their program.”
Essien encouraged all students to never take the holiday season with family for granted. “We have to sit back and take it all in because it is beautiful,” he said.