Veteran Services Office adds 20 year Army Veteran Jimmie Handley to team
Kasie Corley |
Lipscomb University has appointed a new Veteran Programs Coordinator within the Veterans Services Office.
Army veteran Jimmie Handley joins the Veteran Services team, bringing over 20 years' experience and leadership with him. During his tenure, Handley served as a telecommunications specialist and culminated his service to the nation as a Sergeant First Class.
“We are thrilled to add Jimmie to the Veterans Services team,” said Chad Staggs, director of Veteran Services. “His extensive experience as a leader and mentor make him the perfect fit as our program coordinator and I look forward to the great things he will do for Lipscomb and our nation's heroes.”
Handley is excited to join the team. “I love to serve and I look forward to serving those here. I want everyone’s transition to be as smooth as mine,” said Handley. “I was one of the first veterans to do the yellow ribbon program here. Not only am I promoting it, but I have experienced it. I believe in it, and I know that it made it easier for me, after being out of school for more than 20 years to get back.”
Handley, a former non-commissioned officer (NCO), still applies principles from the NCO creed to his civilian career and intends to continue doing so at Lipscomb. “Two things that I take from that are the accomplishment of my mission, and the welfare of my Soldiers. I bring that to this.”
Handley, in his new role, works to help veterans earn their degrees by helping them to make the difficult transition from military to civilian life easy. He seeks to maintain the welfare of veteran students on a daily basis through means such as counseling, advising, and coordinating opportunities for professional development.
Handley also helps faculty and traditional students understand the difficulties veterans sometimes face as they reintegrate into civilian life. “I want to help bridge the gap that sometimes exists between faculty and traditional students understanding the unique struggles veteran students face as the return to school. But also, if as veterans we take the time to understand traditional students in the same way we expect them to take time to understand us, we’ll be pretty awesome together,” said Handley.
Handley knew he wanted to work at Lipscomb after his time as a student. Amid his return to school, he knew he would need help and assistance beyond the scope of what traditional students require due to the time between the last time he was a student and his retirement after over 20 years of military service.
Struggling to keep up in a class, Handley asked the professor for help. He understood the material but was slower than the other students technologically. “Our class was an evening class and started at 5:00 p.m. She told me to meet her at 1:00 p.m., and we would work to help me catch up. We would work from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., break for dinner, then have class. She helped me succeed,” said Handley.
While working on his master’s degree, Handley told the faculty he would love to be a part of the Lipscomb team and to let him know if an opportunity became available. He later heard of the position on the Veteran Services team.
“There would be nothing better and that I would love more than to help those who have given so much, and done so much for the country and others make that transition and set them up for success,” he said.
“In my time in the Army, leaders always help set their people up for success. If I can help set our veteran students up for success after all they’ve given to our nation, I love to do it.”
Handley’s responsibilities include promoting and ensuring academic, professional and spiritual growth among veteran students via integration into academic life and providing enhanced academic support and faculty and staff training on veteran related issues. He also applies a strategic focus on increasing job placement and employment opportunities for veteran students through career development training sessions and enhanced relationships with corporate partners interested in internship opportunities for veterans.
Handly looks forward to the opportunity to apply his unique experience to the Lipscomb community and veteran family. He has a bachelor’s of business administration from Lipscomb University and continues his work on a master’s of divinity, both from Lipscomb University.
“I’m grateful. I never saw this coming in a million years. To continue to be able to do what you love to do for those whom you love dearly, it’s pretty amazing.”
Want to know more about Lipscomb veteran services? Click here.