English 497 is one class that most of us will never take. “Narrative, Oral History, New Media Technologies” allows students to document their recent experiences in the Iraq War.

Penn State created this course in the spring of 2009 to provide an outlet for those adjusting from military service to college life. According to the class website, “Students gained hands-on experience in documentary filmmaking and oral history interviewing while learning pre- and post-production video techniques.”

Through videos, writing assignments, and blog posts, the students shared their memories to educate others as well as to examine their experiences on a personal level.

Dave Walker, a 28-year-old from Danville, recently took the class and graduated from Penn State. Says Philly.com, “Walker’s stylishly produced film tracks the contrasts in attitudes and experiences between an enthusiastic ROTC student looking forward to military service and that of one of Walker’s friends who served in Iraq.”

The students’ blogs and videos are available on the website, so check them out if you’d like some personal accounts of the Iraq War.

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