Story By Patrick Kirby
Portland, ME – Student veterans had the opportunity to engage directly with staff from Senator Susan Collins and Senator Angus King’s offices during recent “Pizza & Q&A” events at the Military Affiliated Student Hub (M.A.S.H.). The casual conversations allowed student veterans, service members, and their families to ask questions about benefits, entitlements, and how to connect with their representatives in Washington.
Cody Harris, a Political Science major and Air Force veteran who facilitated the discussions, said the sessions were important for building trust with government institutions. “The conversation with congressional liaisons is important because it builds institutional trust and shows constituents that representatives provide more than just partisan politics,” he explained.
Harris noted that the events were well received by attendees. “Multiple folks afterwards told me they really enjoyed the conversation,” he said. Some participants were previously unaware of who their senators were. Harris added, “Their takeaways were, the VA has patient advocates you can reach out to, and now they have a clearer picture on how to voice concerns to their senators or reps.”
While Harris will be graduating soon, M.A.S.H. and Director Lorrie Spaulding plan to continue offering opportunities for student veterans to engage with their elected officials. Harris credited Spaulding with providing essential support, saying, “Lorrie handled most of all communication with the congressional offices, she also scheduled everything, and gave me professional advice on how to moderate the discussion.”
For student veterans seeking more information on future events or resources, M.A.S.H. encourages contacting Lorrie Spaulding via the USM scheduling portals for in-person or virtual appointments.
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