Ferris State University students and World War II veterans pictured in Cedarville are (front row, from left) Tana Chinevere, Vern Huyck, Rachel Pieske (standing), Don Patrick; (second row) Herman Campbell, Courtney McQuistion, Will Weston, Sandra Underwood, Bob Buchanan, Bill Hewer, Elda Nye, Krystal Webb, Edwin Bender; (back row) Bob Cataline, Steve Susa, Webster Morrison, Christine Bailey, Matt Smith, Roger Hamel, Scott Mclain, Adam Kennedy, Stacy Graham, Rick Griffin, Jim Hill, Harry Olszewski, and Norm Windsor. Thirty-four Eastern Upper Peninsula World War II veterans became honorary Ferris State University alumni Saturday, April 18. The veterans were recognized for their dedicated service during the war and participation in a program to archive their stories.

About 80 Ferris State students in two political science classes interviewed veterans from all over the country this winter, including 34 from the Pickford, Cedarville, Hessel, Goetzville, and DeTour areas. Ten of those students traveled to Cedarville to meet some of those veterans face-to-face at Ang- Gio's Restaurant last week.

Veterans Robert Buchanan (left) of Stalwart and Harry Olszewski of Goetzville talk to Ferris State University students Sandra Underwood, an elementary education senior, and Adam Kennedy, a political science freshman, Saturday, April 18. Eighty university students interviewed World War II veterans this winter. The interviews are archived at the university's library. Area veterans honored include, from Pickford: Howard Anderson, Army; Ken Bennett, Coast Guard; Herman Campbell, Navy; Elliot Cottle, Army; Clifford Harrison, Army; Ivan Harrison, Army; James Hill, Army; Ray Karr, Army; Marvin McDowell, Navy; Marvin McDonald, Army; Webster Morrison, Navy; Barney Nettleton, Army; William Hewer, Navy; Vern Huyck, Army; Vern Skinner, Navy; Bill Skinner, Army; William Smith, Army; Cliffort Waybrant, Navy; Charles McHaney, Navy; A. Lyle Ames, Navy. From Cedarville: John Chedrick, Army; Roger Hamel, Air Force; Rudy Sherlund, Army; Ivan Nordquist, Navy; John Nordquist, Navy; Arthur Calven, Army; Don Patrick, Air Force. From Goetzville; Leo Wojnaroski, Army; Jerome "Harry" Olszewski, Army; Edwin Bender, Navy. From DeTour: Charles Newell, Army; C. Patrick Newell, Army. From Hessel, Norman Windsor, Navy. From Stalwart, Robert Buchanan, Air Force.

Pickford World War II veteran Jim Hill talks to Ferris State University political science sophomore Tana Chinevere Saturday, April 18. A group of 10 students traveled to Ang-Gio's Restaurant in Cedarville to present 34 area veterans with honorary diplomas for allowing the students to interview and record their stories from the war. (Photograph courtesy of Diane Griffin) University president David Eisler was so impressed with the number of veterans from the Eastern Upper Peninsula wanting to share their stories that he asked the university board of trustees to award them honorary diplomas, said Ferris political science instructor Christine Bailey, who also teaches part time at Central Michigan University.

Ms. Bailey first assigned students to interview World War II veterans three years ago because she wanted to foster student interest in older generations and respect for their accomplishments.

"I thought, what better way for students in the 18- to 20-year-old range to learn about patriotism, service to society, and love of country, than to talk to people who are the embodiment of all those things," she said. "These vets actually did some amazing things when they were the same age as these kids."

When Bob Cataline of Hessel VFW Post 7958 heard Ms. Bailey being interviewed on public radio last year, he told her about the large number of veterans in the EUP willing to share their experiences with her students. The group is the largest number of veterans from one area to participate in the archiving program.

Mr. Cataline, a Vietnam War veteran, has recorded stories from a few Les Cheneaux area veterans and donated them to the Les Cheneaux Historical Museum.

"I wanted to document these guys and have it put into the local archives. Then [Ferris State] came along and, boy, this is good. It will be a treasure for these communities. They are the Greatest Generation," he said, referring to Tom Brokaw's book commemorating the generation of that era. "This is great that there's still enough of them around that we can do this."

Audio files of the interviews are available at the Ferris library. Some interviews of veterans who live closer to the university were videotaped and are available on DVD at the university library.

Ms. Bailey continues to seek World War II veterans from across the country.

"We're in the course of trying to find more vets, because they're dying off at a rate of 1,000 per day," she said. "People in the military say, 'When I'm gone, there will be no one there to tell my story. I want to tell it myself. I witnessed history.'"

Ms. Bailey's assignment is funded through the Political Engagement Project, a joint program of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and the New York Times. Its purpose is to foster skills, understanding, and motivation for informed political engagement in undergraduate students. Only eight universities were selected to participate in the project, Illinois State University, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, Kennesaw State University, Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Sam Houston State University, Western Kentucky University, and Ferris State University.

More than 70 professors have engaged Ferris State students in Political Engagement Project assignments over the last three years, said Rick Griffin, project coordinator at the university.

"Professor Bailey's project is one of our best projects," he said. "It's sort of like the newest generation meeting the Greatest Generation and breaching the gap."

Elementary education sophomore Courtney McQuistion said the assignment was much more challenging than those in her other classes.

"I worked. I really did. It's not like everything I've done in school; just doing it to do it. I really did it and enjoyed it and took things away from it," she said. "It's incredibly important."