Lipscomb hosts Veteran Education Academy for Middle Tennessee
Lacey Klotz |
The Tennessee Department of Veterans Services, in partnership with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and Drive to 55, held its annual Veteran Education Academy at Lipscomb University on Tuesday, Oct. 5.
Hosted by Lipscomb’s Veteran Services Office, nearly 40 participants from area schools throughout Middle Tennessee attended the campus administrator and school leadership event.
Charlie Jackson, Veteran Education Coordinator Middle Tennessee Department of Veteran Services; Mary-Bears Grinder, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services; Mike Krause, executive director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission; and Walter Tillman, vice president of programs for Student Veterans of America; each shared remarks about the significance of creating synergetic chemistry by understanding the culture, language and transitional challenges of student Veterans.
“The purpose of the event was to provide training and raise veteran transitional awareness to key campus administrators to include staff, faculty and leadership,” said Chad Staggs, Lipscomb’s director of veteran services. “This event is crucial because we are always looking for new approaches to helping our student veterans at Lipscomb to overcome unforeseen challenges and help make the transition into the classroom as seamless as possible.”
During the event, Staggs, along with Susan Lee, VA Certifying Official, and Bryan Flanery, outreach coordinator for Lipscomb’s Veteran Services Office, taught breakout sessions on “Improving Online Presence to Recruit and Connect with Student Veterans.”
Groups from Middle Tennessee State University and Belmont University also led break out sessions on “Using Data to Understand and Connect with Student Veterans” and “Innovative Recruiting Practices Get Outside the Box.”
Other noteworthy guest speakers and panelists included: Nate Carden, managing director for Bunker Labs Nashville; Sergeant James McClanahan, Education-Tennessee National Guard; Gregg Crawford, veteran education coordinator-east; Chris Fears, veteran education coordinator-west.
“This event gave exposure for Lipscomb’s Veteran Services Office and the vision of the university to other campus leadership throughout the state,” Staggs continued. “It also encouraged campus leaders to both intentionally and sincerely invest in their campus Veteran Services Offices, and provided tangible ways to do so.”
For more information visit: http://tn.gov/veteran/article/veteran-education-academy-Middle.