Scholarship offered for Veterans to study Art

Heartland Community College is partnering with the advocacy organization CreatiVets to offer a free art course for student veterans. 

The course Art 120, CreatiVets Intro to Veteran Art will be offered in the Spring 2025 semester at Heartland. Tuition and all course expenses for this college credit course will be paid for student veterans thanks to a partnership with the non-profit organization CreatiVets. 

CreatiVets Executive Director Richard Casper attended Heartland from 2007-2009 and received an Associate in Arts degree. He is a United States Marine veteran, Purple Heart recipient, artist, and entrepreneur. 

Casper co-founded the organization to provide art, music, and writing programs for combat veterans with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries. He was named one of TIME Magazine's Next Generation Leaders, is the feature of TIME’s documentary Evidence of Things Unseen, and was recognized by President George W. Bush and The Bush Institute for his passion and work helping combat veterans. 

Nominated by Heartland Community College, Casper was the 2021 recipient of the Illinois Community College Trustees Association Distinguished Alumni Award. 

Heartland’s Art 201 will be taught by Peter Ahart, MFA, an educator and painter whose work is based on his experiences in the military, which includes three combat tours. In addition to serving as an art instructor part-time, he is the Lead Diversity Officer, Equal Opportunity Advisor, in the 129th Regimental Training Institute in Springfield, IL. 

Veterans interested in learning more about the CreatiVets Intro to Veteran Art course may contact the Veteran’s Center Staff at 309-268-8153 or at the Penn Family Student Veteran’s Center located in the Workforce Development Center (WDC) building on the College Main Campus.