On-campus training seeks to improve veteran experience at Lipscomb
Lacey Klotz |
According to the Veterans Administration, one in four veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder and/or traumatic brain injuries. Statistics also show that while veterans account for 20 percent of the United States suicides, approximately 22 veterans commit suicide each day.
Lipscomb’s Office of Veteran Services currently serves approximately 250 student veterans, and is committed to helping student veterans on campus to overcome this reality.
On Thursday, May 12, Veteran Services held a seminar on campus to help educate faculty and staff members on the challenges student veterans face such as PTSD and TBI as well as identify ways to improve the veteran experience on campus.
“With the continued growth of Lipscomb's veteran program it is our responsibility to ensure we identify, address and facilitate proper resource options for our veterans,” said Chad Staggs, director of veteran services. “We are committed to educate, mentor and assist our veterans with the transition process from day one. In order to ensure we are doing our part we must implement these types of training at all levels on campus. The more our faculty and staff understand, the better they are prepared to deal with any situations that may arise.”
Staggs, along with Susan Lee, VA school certifying official, and Bryan Flanery, veterans outreach coordinator at Lipscomb, organized two veteran speakers, State Senator, Mark Green, MD; and associate professor at Wright State University’s School of Professional Psychology, Jeffrey A. Cigrang, ABPP; to share practical insight on the veteran transition and PTSD and TBI.
Green currently serves as the Tennessee State Senator for District 22 and the vice chair of the Senate Commerce and Insurance Committee. He is also a member of the Agricultural and Natural Resources and the State and Local Governmental Committees.
During the seminar, Green shared about the difficulties veterans face when transitioning into normalcy as well as the asset they are to the classroom, workforce and society as a whole.
“That’s the thing about these guys, they are a part of something elite and then they walk back to normal life and that’s an emotional adjustment for them,” Green said. “But veterans are loyal to a fault, they know how to work extremely hard, they work in sacrifice, they have a failure is not an option mentality and are a huge asset.”
As a clinical psychologist and associate professor, Cigrang’s professional areas of interest include clinical health psychology, behavioral health services in primary care, treatment of deployment-related PTSD in veterans, military couples, community/population health interventions, tobacco cessation and motivational interviewing.
Cigrang shared what generates PTSD and other mental disorders. He also noted that the veterans that were the most resilient post-deployment were those who had a reported a lot of good social support and social-connections from family and friends, and those that looked the worst were reporting pretty isolated and not connected.
“I was talking with Chad Staggs yesterday about his work here, and what he values most about veteran community that he has at Lipscomb is that it has a family feel,” said Cigrang. “You know many of the veterans, they know each other, and there is some good social connections and support here. So as you more forward, if you can have that as an important criteria of how do we maintain connections and family and other Lipscomb things, scientifically, you are on the right track.”
One way Lipscomb’s Veteran Services keeps its veteran students connected is through a spiritual mentor program led by Tom Seals, associate professor of Bible, and through volunteer classes led by Flanery.
The Veteran Service team also maintains relationships with student veterans and both Staggs and Lee lead students through morning/lunch devotionals where student veterans are able to share struggles and confide in one another.
To conclude the seminar training, Staggs and Lee led faculty and staff members through some challenges that student veterans face when transitioning back into the classroom. Each stressed the importance of being direct and not enabling student veterans as well as abandoning assumptions and building rapport.
“Veterans returning to school are faced with many challenges and this transition to the classroom can become overwhelming,” said Staggs. “Our ability to recognize those challenges arm us with the knowledge and tools to better help with the transition and overall success of each veteran. Veterans bring a unique leadership skill set to the classroom and Lipscomb has seen the results first hand.”
In May Lipscomb graduated 42 Veterans, 26 Bachelor’s degrees, 13 Master’s degrees and 3 Ph.D.’s all with an average GPA of 3.47.
“In order to continue with these type of results we must continue our commitment to these Veterans by facilitating opportunities to train and educate those personnel who interact with them on a daily basis,” said Staggs.
In November, Lipscomb opened a new Veterans Resource Center located just behind Elam Residence Hall. The facility was funded in part by a $25,000 challenge gift from the Sentinels of Freedom organization. The center includes areas for veterans to study and fellowship, a computer, television, kitchen/eating area, lockers and a place to relax in between classes.
Lipscomb’s program has been recognized nationally for its quality. Military Advanced Education awarded Lipscomb the designation of a “Top Military-Friendly University” in its “2015 Guide to Military-Friendly Colleges & Universities.” Last year marked the sixth consecutive year that Lipscomb University was designated a Military-Friendly School by “GI Jobs,” a publication of Victory Media, for its veteran services program. In 2014, U.S. News also ranked Lipscomb as the second-best regional university in the South for veterans. The College of Business was ranked 24th in the nation in the Military Times’ 2013 Best for Vets: Business Schools Guide for veterans based on financial aid, academic policies and participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
For veterans who qualify for 100 percent of the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits Lipscomb University has committed to allocate the necessary funds to allow them to earn a tuition-free undergraduate degree through the Yellow Ribbon Enhancement Program. The university also offers qualifying student veterans a variety of graduate degrees tuition-free or at a greatly reduced tuition rate.
Staggs, Lee and Flanery encouraged faculty and staff members to utilize the resources available to them in the Veteran Services Office, Counseling Center, Disabilities Services Office, Academic Success Center and Campus Security at Lipscomb.
For more information about Veteran Services Office visit veterans.lipscomb.edu.