1. Presented By: Adam Dunbar and Mary Connelly University of Massachusetts Lowell & Chuck Morrell University of Connecticut

2. Background and Context Over the next 5 years 1.4 million service members will be released from the Armed Forces. Many will be heading to campuses with their GI Benefits in hand. This session will discuss ways to build a community which supports their connection to your campus and successful transition from a military culture to civilian life and an academic culture.

3. Learning Outcomes 1. Participants will be able to better understand the impact the veteran population will have on college campuses over the next five years, financially and culturally. 2. Participants will be able to articulate the issues facing veterans as they transition to civilian life. 3. Participants will be able to identify and utilize strategies for collaborating to build a welcoming community for veterans and military students. 4.Participants will be able to understand the value and difference they can make in the lives of student veterans by championing this particular population.

4. Different Perspectives on Building Community University of Massachusetts Lowell University of Connecticut

5. When talking with a student veteran… DON’T ASK: Did you ever have to kill anyone? Were you scared? What was it like? Did you see dead people? What was the worst thing that happened to you over there? Do you have PTSD? ASK: What branch of service were you in? What was your MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) or job? Are you still serving in the reserves, or are you out now? Where were you stationed? What do you like best about being in school right now? What do you find most challenging? SOURCE: University of California–Riverside Veterans Services Brochure (2012)

7. UMASS LOWELL VETERANS POPULATION GROWTH Fall 2011500 identified veterans Fall 2012approximately 1200 veterans

8. UCONN VETERAN POPULATION GROWTH Fall 2012approximately 975 veterans Fall 2013estimated 1400 identified veterans

9. UMASS LOWELL VETERANS

10. ONLINE / ON CAMPUS

11. Office of Veteran Services Janine Wert-Director of Veteran Services Clinical Specialist for Veterans Provides space in Student Union to hang out and relax The Veteran Service Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

13. FALL 2012 Veteran Programs Living Learning Community Faculty /Staff Veteran Outreach Veterans Welcome Workshop Awareness Week Backpack Tags Legacy Military Ball Alumni Hall of Fame Induction Veterans Flag Raising Ceremony w/ reception Veteran Awareness Training for Faculty

14. VETERANS LEGACY BALL

15. VETERANS ALUMNI HALL OF FAME

16. VETERANS FLAG RAISING CEREMONY AND RECEPTION

17. MILITARY FRIENDLY SCHOOL 2012-2013 3 rd YEAR

18. UMass Lowell Community Outreach CONGRESSWOMAN NIKI TSONGAS’ VETERANS TASK FORCE NOMINATING COMMITTEE FOR SERVICE ACADEMIES HANSCOM AFB EDUCATIONAL FAIR VA VETERANS EDUCATIONAL FAIR

20. Veteran’s Oasis

21. 10 Ways College Union and Student Activities Professionals Better Serve Veterans As part of professional development workshops, invite the director or coordinator of veterans services and a panel of student veterans to share their stories and experience of adjusting to academic life. Just as you would want to be viewed as an ally for other special populations, recognize the military experience as a culture that also needs some championing. Serve as an advocate, and encourage staff and students to attend campus events celebrating veterans. Do more to educate yourself and staff members. For instance, learn the language of the military and veteran cultures. Lots of acronyms! Understand the basics of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injuries. Realize not all veterans have these health problems and not all who have these health problems are veterans. Place signs in prominent locations welcoming veterans and supporting military. Live up to the message that the signs convey by designing a place for veterans to gather and identifying a point of contact for student veterans.

22. 10 Ways College Union and Student Activities Professionals Better Serve Veterans cont. Offer to serve on the campus’s veterans resource team. Recognize those among the staff and student leader population who are veterans. If you are a veteran, offer to mentor a student veteran. Consider how orientation, usually organized for 18- to 20-year-olds, might customized to be made more relevant for veterans. Help connect the officers of veterans student organizations and student government to assist in addressing needs and concerns. Partner with the veterans services office to assess the union or activities department’s strengths and weaknesses relative to veterans’ issues.

23. Questions?

24. Thank You! Mary Connelly Assistant Dean of Students-UMass Lowell Mary_Connelly@uml.edu 978-934-2106 Adam Dunbar Graduate Fellow-UMass Lowell 978-934-6883 Adam_Dunbar@uml.edu Chuck Morrell Associate Director for Operations chuck.morrell@uconn.edu 860-486-3422 chuck.morrell@uconn.edu Janine Wert Director of Veteran Services-UMass Lowell Janine_Wert@uml.edu 978-934-2461