In U.S. military conflicts dating back to the Revolutionary War, American women’s contributions to these military efforts have often been neglected, overlooked, or downplayed in official government documents, historical accounts, the press, and popular renderings—from literature to films to television. After a brief historical overview of women in the military, the speaker will share “sea stories” from her own experiences as a female officer in the US Navy, from graduating as the only woman in her ROTC year group, to being one of only 3 women on an amphibious assault ship during a 6-month Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf deployment. She will reflect upon how her experiences increased her awareness of some of the principles of interdependence, pluralism, and generosity reflected in the UU values.

Biography: Dr. Alexis Hart received her commission through Navy ROTC at the University of Rochester and served as a Navy Supply Corps officer aboard the USS ESSEX (LHD 2) and as an instructor at the Navy Supply Corps School before resigning her commission and earning her PhD in Rhetoric and Writing Studies at the University of Georgia. At Allegheny, she serves as the Director of Writing and currently chairs the English Department. She is also the faculty advisor for the Allegheny Army ROTC Club. Dr. Hart’s scholarship includes work on veterans and writing studies, which has appeared in several journals and edited collections. Her co-authored book Writing Programs, Veteran Studies, and the Post-9/11 University: A Field Guide was published in 2020.