Veteran Services receives $185,000 Reconnect Grant from state
Kim Chaudoin | 615.966.6494 |
Lipscomb University’s Veteran Services Program was one of six institutions in Tennessee recently selected to receive funds through the Tennessee Higher Education Commission’s 2016 Veteran Reconnect grant program.
Lipscomb was awarded a $185,563 grant. Other institutions selected to receive grants include Chattanooga State Community College, Maryville College, Middle Tennessee State University, Tusculum College and the University of Tennessee-Martin. The Veteran Reconnect program awarded the grants following a competitive proposal process, with the goal of building on proven practices to support veterans on campuses. Funding is provided for a 22-month grant period.
“Every student enrolled in college has a unique set of needs, and that is especially true for veteran students,” said THEC Executive Director Mike Krause. “Veteran Reconnect is assisting veterans on Tennessee campuses to both connect with their campus and with the fellow servicemen.”
Lipscomb will use funds to increase its visibility among prospective veteran students and increase engagement of the school’s veteran alumni. With a goal of doubling the number of veteran students it serves by 2021, Lipscomb’s Veteran Services plans to hold an annual veteran student orientation, provide enhanced academic support for veteran students, and provide for faculty and staff with training on veteran-specific issues. The university will also enhance partnerships focused on providing internships and jobs for veterans.
“We are so grateful for the opportunity to continue to focus on the education and spiritual development of the student veterans at Lipscomb,” said Chad Staggs, director of veteran services at Lipscomb. “This grant not only enables us to enhance our continued infrastructure progress but also to employ areas that are directly related to the students. Opportunities like this enable us all to focus on the needs of those who have sacrificed so much for our great nation.”
“With this funding we will have an opportunity to enhance student morale, provide specific academic support and recognize our veterans who are achieving their educational goals,” he continued. “As our university continues to grow, our continued focus remains on sustaining a solid foundation for our student veterans that includes support that promotes personal, professional and spiritual development.”
This is the second Veteran Reconnect grant awarded to Lipscomb University. In fall 2015, the program received an $80,415 grant. It was used to enhance the internal processes and services offered by the veteran services office as well as to hire an outreach coordinator to focus on recruiting new students, assisting with their transition to college life and retaining them.
Veteran Reconnect is part of Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam’s Drive to 55 initiative to increase the number of Tennesseans with a postsecondary degree or certificate to 55 percent by 2025. The grants were funded through state appropriations in the 2016-17 budget.
A new Veterans Resource Center located just behind Elam Residence Hall was opened last November. 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.
For more information about Lipscomb University’s veteran services program, call615.966.1013 or visit veterans.lipscomb.edu.
—Photo by Anna Kate Hensley