Best for Vets: UIW’s 军事 and Veteran Center

by Jonathan Lovejoy, Senior Director of 军事 & Veteran Affairs

在校本, supporting military-connected students is not only a goal, but a mission and priority – in fact, it is one of eight Strategic Priorities that the University has used to guide its operations.

In support of this strategic priority, uw的军事和退伍军人中心的愿景是立志成为现役军人教育机会的首要提供者, veterans and their families. 这所大学对这一愿景的奉献和承诺，最近在《澳门博彩官网下载》的“最适合退伍军人的大学”排名中被评为全美第一所学校. 学校的军事和退伍军人中心(MVC)是学校的军事和退伍军人学生的中心, and it is the Center’s work over the last several years that truly put UIW on the map.

The UIW MVC can trace its roots back to UIW’s School of Professional Studies (SPS). Formerly known as the Center for Veteran Affairs, it was established in the SPS offices at St. Anthony Catholic High School in 10月 2009. The Center was adjacent to the office of Karen Wyatt, who was selected as its first director in February 2010. MVC由大学前成人教育和虚拟大学办公室的几个房间组成. 这个专用空间经过精心设计，以满足与军方有联系的学生的独特需求, offering personalized assistance and support. The Center later moved to the Watson building, located across the street from UIW's Broadway campus, to be more conveniently located and better assist military-connected students. Currently, over 50% of SPS students are military-connected.

In 2015, the MVC found a new home in the Columkille Administration Building on the Broadway campus. In 2019, upon the Student Engagement Center (SEC)'s completion, a significant milestone was marked when a dedicated MVC was opened in the new building. The MVC then settled into its current offices, where it provides a space for military-connected students to study, hold group meetings and unwind with a cup of generously donated coffee. This space also serves as a hub for 社区-building and camaraderie among veterans, active-duty personnel and military family members. The relocation demonstrated UIW’s commitment to military-connected students’ success and well-being.

The MVC lounge is a place where students and groups can get together, like UIW’s Student 退伍军人 of America (SVA) chapter, an incredibly active and strong student organization, which continually advocates for student veterans on campus. The MVC allows the organization a space to bring new ideas to the surface, like the group’s work to bring free parking for disabled and decorated veterans to campus.

The lounge also serves as a focal point for MVC’s Peer Advisor for Veteran Education (PAVE) program, 一项同伴支持计划，将即将入学的退伍军人学生与现有的退伍军人学生联系起来，这些退伍军人接受过同伴顾问的培训，帮助他们度过大学生活, address challenges they may face and refer them to appropriate resources on and off campus. uw在2023年扩大了PAVE计划，将军人家属纳入其中，这样他们也可以从该计划中受益.

While military-affiliated students connect in the MVC lounge, 工作人员仍在努力工作，以履行中心的核心职能，处理学生退伍军人管理局(VA)和学费援助(TA)的教育福利. 自2011年以来, MVC一直在处理VA黄丝带教育福利，与VA达成协议，为使用CH 33 Post 9-11 GI法案®的人提供超过年度国家上限的学费和费用. 这个惊人的计划使那些使用CH 33 Post 9-11 GI法案®的人可以参加uw任何va批准的计划，而无需担心成本或达到年度上限. Unlike many other institutions, UIW has no limit on the number of students they allow into the Yellow Ribbon Program. While some schools may only allow 10 students per academic year into their Yellow Ribbon Program, UIW accepts 100% of the applicants that apply and meet all qualifications.

MVC每天也齐心协力，确保退伍军人及其家人在入伍后感到受到欢迎和支持. Approximately 22% of today’s UIW students are military-connected. To better support these students, in 2018, 军事101培训课程是由与军事有关的威斯康星大学教职员工开设的，旨在向员工传授军事具体问题和军事文化. The course material was updated in 2022 by Dr. 并提供给所有教职员工，以确保他们有能力支持与军方有关的学生. 完成培训的员工会得到一张贴在办公室门上的贴纸，这样军校学生就可以很容易地找到支持.

Another of the MVC’s main goals is to consistently stay connected to our military-affiliated 社区. UIW MVC does this by providing face-to-face appointments, a virtual front counter, and online appointments for the convenience of military students. MVC还为军人和退伍军人的新生培训提供虚拟选项，并定期为SVA会议等社交活动提供在线选项, motivational speaker series and prayer services.

In 2023, MVC将他们的努力推进了一步，他们成立了一个老兵同伴支持小组，帮助老兵过渡到高等教育.

因为MVC的工作人员明白，过渡到平民生活和高等教育的经验是不同的退伍军人和军人, MVC还提供了一个新的学生导向，回顾如何利用TA和VA教育福利，并向学生介绍校园资源. The orientation also provides an opportunity for Q&A, student mingling, free food and giveaways.

To connect students to outside resources, 作为退伍军人融入学术领导(VITAL)计划的一部分，MVC每两周一次在校园举办一名退伍军人社会工作者. The VA social worker is also available to schedule online appointments. During these appointments, students receive assistance on enrollment into Veteran Health Administration (VHA) healthcare, benefit from brief counseling services, and receive help navigating all VA, 社区, and on-campus resources.

“UIW继续发展一种文化和环境，以满足军队附属学生的兴趣和需求."

2023-2024年的一项具体战略举措是提高军事学分的成绩单清晰度和适用性. 作为德克萨斯州劳动力委员会英雄学院学分(TWC CCH)能力建设和可持续发展计划的一部分, UIW received a $200,这笔资金将帮助开发一个完全集成的系统来评估军事成绩单，并将必要的军事训练和经验转化为威斯康星大学的学分. The College Credit for Heroes grant manager, Alfred Van Raub, focuses on expediting the evaluation of military transfer credits, promoting consistency in the award of credits, maximizing the number of military transfer credits, facilitating degree completion and validating the integrity of military training.

UIW also honors and recognizes military family members and the challenges they face. In April 2023, 大学社区庆祝军人儿童月，以表彰和支持军人家庭. UIW推广了Purple Up月，并在整个4月份通过印刷Purple Up衬衫来庆祝活动, promoting a Purple Up social media campaign, and turning the Student Engagement Center purple. UIW held 退伍军人 Day parades on Broadway campus in 2020 and 2021, which recognized veteran groups throughout the San Antonio 社区. UIW has sponsored Our Community Salutes San Antonio, which honors and recognizes high school graduates entering the military, since it was established in 2012. In addition, UIW 下载澳门赌博官网 annually honors the military with 军事 Appreciation athletic events and games. In 2022, uw的军事欣赏足球比赛包括6个高中JROTC单位，并举行了入伍仪式，表彰了来自各军种的100多名新兵.

To better connect UIW’s many locations in San Antonio, in 2021, the University received a veteran microgrant to support veteran library resources and services. uw购买了一个移动展示柜，可以在学校之间移动，并有轮流向退伍军人致敬的军事展示. To assist service members, UIW officially joined the DoD Skill Bridge program in 2022, 允许过渡服务成员有机会参加高等教育实习项目，同时从他们的军事生涯过渡.

In 2022, UIW hosted two military focused art events titled Kevlar to Canvas, which featured 32 military-connected student artists who participated in 3-hour guided art sessions. The events were open to all military-affiliated members of the UIW 社区 and provided a fun, relaxing and peaceful environment. In 2023 and 2024, MVC hosted a similar event called Kevlar to Clay, this time providing ceramic art guided sessions. MVC团队还积极参加圣安东尼奥联合基地(JBSA)每周的劳动力和过渡联盟会议，以保持我们的学生退伍军人与社区的联系.

In gratitude, uw以退伍军人毕业招待会来奖励他们在毕业典礼上的辛勤工作, free veteran tribute graduation stole and military challenge coin.

As part of our legacy of service to the 社区, MVC员工和整个大学社区将继续履行其承诺，为那些为我们服务的人提供一流的服务.