Excellence in Human Relations (Unclassified)

Seth Gordon

In one short year with Wright State, Seth Gordon, Ph.D., has expanded the university’s efforts to serve veterans and military-connected students tenfold.

Gordon, director of the Veteran and Military Center, has developed relations with the veteran community both on and off campus. He comes from a nontraditional background—something that allows him to better understand the nontraditional route veterans often take to college.

Gordon hosts a series of veterans breakfasts that bring veterans together as a community and allows them to meet the various campus constituencies that can help them achieve their academic goals at Wright State.

Additionally, Gordon has developed a safe space training for veterans. Modeled after the safe space training for GLBTQ students on campus, the training builds better relationships between veterans and the rest of the Wright State community by moving past stereotypes and prejudices on both sides. The training promotes dialogue and understanding and better human relations.

Gordon has also developed the Veterans Oral History Project, bringing together veterans from Wright State and surrounding communities to document their stories for the Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center. Gordon helped train veteran students to go out in the community and interview other veterans. The course was a tremendous success.

“Dr. Gordon may have started less than a year ago, but he hit the ground running,” said Jared Shank, transfer articulation coordinator. “He has tirelessly sought to promote veterans on Wright State’s campus at virtually every event.”

Gordon works directly with the Veterans’ League student organization to make sure veteran students understand all the benefits available to them. Moreover, Gordon constantly pushes his student workers in the Veteran and Military Center to pursue internships and expand their resumes.