In memory of fallen soldiers of battle and of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Shawnee State hosts the “Eyes Of Freedom,” a war memorial exhibit. According to an informational Ohio Museum website, the “Eyes of Freedom exhibit is a powerful traveling memorial consisting of 8 life-sized portraits of 23 fallen servicemen from an Ohio based Lima Company 3/25 during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005.” The exhibit consists of the eight life-sized portraits as well as a bronze statue that was created in honor of the soldiers who have fallen due to PTSD. All of the portraits along with the bronze statue were hand painted and made by the same artist, Anita Miller.

The memorial was set up in the Morris University Center starting on November 5 through November 7, 10am-5pm. The exhibit was escorted to SSU by veterans on motorcycles, making the whole process of the exhibit from arriving to being set up a large event. You can see a short clip of the escort arriving on campus above.

Autumn Lewis, an SSU junior, who observed the ‘Eyes of Freedom’ said, “This exhibit truly gave me a sense of American pride. Seeing the soldiers boots in front of their portraits made their sacrifices even more real to me.”

This work of art travels all around the country to bring awareness to the soldiers who have fallen and hopefully makes the sacrifices that the soldiers have made for our freedom more real in the eyes of society, just like it did for SSU students.

Gallery • 26 Photos

Victoria Reffit

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