It was another busy day in the Veterans Center. A couple of student-veterans were being helped with questions about their benefits, and plans were being tweaked for a couple of key holiday events taking place Friday and Saturday. (Details below)
The space set aside for veterans on the ground floor of Tillinghas Hall has been a hub of activity over the past year. Foot traffic is up, and so is the number of veterans on campus taking advantage of their benefits – a jump of 18 percent, or 50 student-veterans, according to the center’s numbers.
Success like this doesn’t come by accident.
“We’re still constantly changing things around,” said Michael Siegel, military and veteran student counselor. “We need to respond to what the veterans need and what they want. We’re constantly refining and looking to improve.”
The changes include the behind-the-scenes type, such as improving the ways the center collects and uses data, working more closely with admissions and BSU’s information technology staff, and tracking the progress of student-veterans as they move toward degree completion.
Other changes are easy to spot. While part of the reason for having the center was to provide a place for veterans to simply hangout, the reality was that this wasn’t happening.
“No one was just sitting around on the couches, they were using a laptop, studying and using the center more for studying and business,” Mr. Siegel said. “So they went away and we added more work space.”
The overarching goal of the center is to be a one-stop shop for students who have served in the military and their family members. This includes current and future students. In addition to the foot traffic, requests for information come in over the phone, via email and even on social media.
Adrian Young, ’17, a communication studies major from Brewster and a veteran who was deployed to Afghanistan, works at the center and has seen up close the good work being done.
“The service we provide here is awesome. Anyone who has any issue, can come in and we sort it out for them,” he said.
The center also provides valuable experience for veterans through funding from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Adrian, along with graduate assistant Cory Ahonen, an Air Force veteran who is enrolled in the masters of public administration program, both benefit from the program.
“I’ve learned about the importance of working with people and how to solve various problems,” Adrian said. “We get all sorts of issues here and I’m always looking to constantly improve myself and strive to be better.”
That last phrase would seem to be the Veterans Center’s slogan. Michael Siegel said it’s important for BSU to “not just talk the talk but walk the walk.” He believes the center is on the right track, but says there’s more to be done.
“It’s not just about what we think we need, but seeing what the veterans need,” he said. (Story and photos by John Winters, G ’11, University News & Media)
Events celebrating veterans' service: Friday, Nov. 11, noon to 4 p.m., cookout and activities in University Park; Saturday, Nov. 12, the Cranberry Bowl at Swenson Field - Military Appreciation Day, free admission for military and veterans, and veterans will celebrated before and during the game.
