TCNJ

34 The College of New Jersey Magazine around them to discuss democracy. Students considered the psycho- logical impact of disinformation on citizens. They debated the treatment of war prisoners under international human rights laws. And they reconsid- ered the action projects at the heart of the class. Instead of more traditional environ- mental initiatives or get-out-the-vote campaigns for student government elections, students were brainstorm- ing how to identify fake news and report Russian troop movements. "We really looked at the role citizens can play in a war context," Burroughs says. "We switched from this happy course of 'you can bring about change at your university,' to 'how can you continue to defend democracy during a war?'" Some student projects raised money for local charities. Another built an interactive app to help inter- nally displaced people adapt to new communities. Mariia Bohaienko and classmates at V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University in eastern Ukraine launched a social media campaign to chronicle how students were affected as the city around them was bombed. Using text messages and Zoom videos, the group interviewed dozens of students who shared stories of lives that were both inspiring and heartbreaking, from volunteering to bake cookies for the military to fleeing their homes and country. "It was essential to document that our lives were changed, that the war was real," Bohaienko said. "We thought maybe it would be motivation for other students not to give up." Bohaienko said being part of the course throughout that chaotic spring helped her understand the impact she could have. She volunteered with her mother to weave camouflage nets for the army and joined the university's student council. During a recent Zoom interview, she proudly fanned a sheaf of certificates she'd collected as a regular blood donor. "My blood is fighting for peace, too," she says, adding, "Your sadness doesn't make life better. But your knowledge, your education, and your actions will." As the war grinds into its second year, Burroughs worries for the safety of students and colleagues during what promises to be a difficult winter. But she will be there to support their efforts for as long as they need her. "We still don't know what will hap- pen, but we are moving forward," she says. "The day is going to come when the war is going to end. We continue with trainings. We modify lessons to adapt to the needs of the teachers. We talk about giving students the skills that they will need when the war is over so they can be part of the rebuilding." ■ Liz Leyden is a writer in New Jersey and a frequent contributor to TCNJ Magazine. " We switched from this happy course of 'you can bring about change at your university,' to 'how can you continue to defend democracy during a war?'" — Greer Burroughs

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