Humphrey appointed director of veterans services
Kim Chaudoin |
Lt. Col. Jimmy Humphrey was recently appointed assistant dean of campus life and director of veterans services at Lipscomb University.
Humphrey served 22 years in the United States Army and Air Force, having retired from active duty in November as the deputy of the Manpower and Plans Division, U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla.
“Jim has the 360 degree perspective to do this job well. He has great leadership experience and will help us connect with key constituencies. He is very grounded in his faith and has a deep appreciation for the program that we are building for student veterans at Lipscomb. With the war winding down combined with a generous GI bill and the struggling economy, this program will continue to grow,” said Scott McDowell, vice president for student development and dean of campus life.
Humphrey began his military career as a surveillance scout in the Army in 1986 before receiving his commission with the Air Force in 1992 where he began as a training systems analyst for the Air Combat Command Training Support Squadron at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamorgordo, N.M. in 1993. In the course of his career, Humphrey served the Air Force in a variety of assignments across the country including duty at Falcon Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo.; Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc, Calif.; Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas; Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Va.; Minot Air Force Base in Minot, N.D.; Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala.; Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier, La., as well as deployed tours in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Afghanistan.
“This is a very unique opportunity to help open doors for our veterans through higher education,” said Humphrey. “Veterans generally have a drive for personal growth and educational opportunities either founded or reinforced during their period of military service. They are accustomed to having goals supported by objectives and milestones, and I want to help them move forward and achieve their goals to obtain a college degree.”
Humphrey said veterans add a varied perspective to the learning environment because they have unique, real-world experiences that aid them in “seeing a practical application to what’s being taught which adds to the classroom discussion.”
Humphrey holds a master’s degree in aeronautical science from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and a master’s degree in military art and science from Air University – Air Command Staff College. He received a bachelor’s degree from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. In addition to his military career, Humphrey also has teaching experience in the San Angelo school system and has served as a volunteer soccer, softball and basketball coach. He is involved with the leadership of Florida Bible Camp and is a member of the board of directors for Foundation Christian High School and Academy. Humphrey and his wife, Desiree, have three daughters, Kimberly, Kristin and Chelsea.
Humphrey said he plans to build a veterans services organization that has a holistic service approach involved in recruiting, monitoring, mentoring, counseling and assistance in placement upon graduation. He plans to continue building a veteran-friendly environment on campus and to develop Lipscomb’s student veteran program into a benchmark for other universities to emulate.
Since its inception in fall 2009, Lipscomb’s Yellow Ribbon program has grown from 20 original participants to more than 150 veterans enrolled this spring. Students have performed well academically with 71 percent of currently enrolled student veterans maintaining a minimum 3.0 GPA, with 13 percent of those maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA.
In 2009, the Post-9/11 GI Bill was established as an education benefit program for individuals who served on active duty after Sept. 11, 2001. It is administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Based on a veteran’s length of service, he or she may be eligible to receive the cost of tuition and fees, not to exceed the most expensive in-state institution of higher education. For veterans who qualify for 100 percent of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, 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.
Humphrey succeeds David K. Hughes as the director of the university’s Yellow Ribbon initiative and student veteran program. Hughes was the founding director of the program.
“David laid a remarkable foundation for the program and left it to be poised to go to the next level. We owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for helping us get this program started,” said McDowell. “Our veterans certifying official, April Herrington, also did a remarkable job of leading the program in the interim and setting the table for Jim to come in and lead the program.”
For more information about Lipscomb University’s student veterans programs, contact Humphrey at 615.966.5176 or jim.humphrey [at] lipscomb.edu (subject: I%20would%20like%20more%20information%20about%20Lipscomb%27s%20programs%20for%20veterans, body: I%20am%20interested%20in%20learning%20more%20about%20Lipscomb%27s%20programs%20for%20veterans%20and%20about%20its%20Yellow%20Ribbon%20Program.%20Thank%20you%21) (.)