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Intersection: student-veterans; a hiring crisis for the restaurant industry; poet Brian Turner

1,400 American flags at the UCF memory mall represent student-veterans at the university. Photo: Matthew Peddie. WMFE
1,400 American flags at the UCF memory mall represent student-veterans at the university. Photo: Matthew Peddie. WMFE

It’s veteran’s day and this week the memory mall at the University of Central Florida is dotted with 1,400 flags to represent the students attending the university who are veterans. 

On this episode of Intersection we take a closer look at one aspect of how veterans transition to life outside the military- by attending college. 

Joshua 'JJ' Johnson with the Veterans Academic Resource Center at UCF joins the show to discuss how the center has grown and how it supports students who are veterans and others attending college on the GI bill. 

The hospitality industry is at what could be a watershed moment. Restaurants are struggling to hire as the economy picks up again from the pandemic driven recession, and the staff shortage has shone a light on issues with restaurant culture. We explore at what that means for hospitality- and for Central Florida- with a panel of experts. 

Joining Intersection are Orlando Weekly restaurant critic Faiyaz Kara, operating partner at The Pinery Carol Holladay, UCF Rosen School of Hospitality professor, Dr. Robertico Croes, and Sodexo vice president of supply management Aaron LaMotte.

And we revisit an interview with Orlando area poet and US army veteran Brian Turner. He reflects on his military service and talks about how he connects with other veterans through writing.