VETCOMS Veterans Come to School TBR SERS Grant Goals and Outcomes - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

VETCOMS

Veterans Come to School TBR SERS Grant

Goals and Outcomes

• Increase enrolled veterans to 200
• Increase awareness of veteran resources
• Improve marketing strategies that target veterans
• Improve community relations and involvement
• Improve customer service
• Improve peer-to-peer relationships between veteran students
• Increase veteran retention rates
• Provide Green Zone training to faculty and staff
• Increase engagement of student veterans
• Increase usage of services available to veteran students

PICTURE: Men on Campus – Speed Date Lunch & Learn.

Goals and Outcomes

The College continued:

• Work to maintain its Tennessee Vets’ Campus

Designation.

• Its listing a Principles of Excellence college on

the VA.gov web page.

• Maintained the Eight Keys to Success

designation by the US Department of Education.

• Complied with the DOD MOU.
• Monthly contact with identified student

veterans.

• Hosting a veteran focused booth at all

student activities during the Fall and Spring semesters.

Goals and Outcomes

The College continued:

• Sponsored events with participation

from all four constituencies:

• Students Veterans
• Faculty
• Staff
• Community

Goals and Outcomes

VETCOMS grant continued the extensive work that began during two previous veterans focused grants. One from TBR and one from THEC. PICTURE: Announcing the designation of a VETS Friendly Campus with all community partners present.

• Retired military leadership.
• Central High School NROTC.
• Local recruitment officials.
• Employees with military service.
• VA Services leadership.
• American Legion Post 170.
• Student Veterans.
• College staff, faculty, and administration.
• County elected leadership.

What we did…

• Established a student led veterans organization.
• Created a master list of veteran students using several college reports and outreach.
• Created marketing materials focused on veteran students (including a resource packet and

admissions checklist).

• Created a website with comprehensive information on financial aid, veteran benefits, and

transition information for veteran students.

• Implemented a committee of faculty and staff that helped in the implementation of the grant.
• Hosted formal and informal gatherings for veteran students in conjunction with other offices.
• Established a veterans study room at the two largest campuses.
• Continued to provide a support network to veteran students.

What we did…

PICTURES:

• VETCOMS Grant Implementation

team.

• End of Semester Lunch with State

Senator Hensley, Representative Curcio, Columbia Mayor Dickey, Columbia Fire Chief.

What we did…

PICTURES: End of Semester luncheon. Speaker from the City Of Columbia’s Fire Department. Students were given awards.

How did it go?

• Successes

Veteran Student Organization is thriving and has amazing faculty advisor support. Identifying veteran students has become easier through college reports and self- identification via email/phone/survey (199 on 6/29/18). Potential and current veteran students have given positive reviews on both the webpages and the veteran study rooms. $500 per semester veteran student scholarship was established via the Ladies Auxiliary-Unit 19 of Columbia.

How did it go?

PICTURE: Veterans Success Coach at the Lewisburg Campus Meet and Greet interacting with several student veterans.

How did it go?

PICTURE: Student veterans working in the designated study area.

How did it go?

• Challenges

Personnel turnover. Identifying veteran students. Program planning across 5 campuses / need to implement more technology connections for peer to peer support. Tutors available for all students in our tutoring center but student veterans communicated a need for separate tutors. Mentors needed with military backgrounds. Difficulty in establishing student veteran engagement outside the classroom due to academic, family, and work schedules.

Suggestions for other institutions

• Offer ‘GREEN ZONE’ training each semester.
• Strategic and intentional partnership with local military agencies.
• Host a dialogue session each semester with all constituencies to hear the voices
• f the student veterans.

Columbia State contacts…

• Adam Robertson, Director, Department of Student Engagement & Services

arobertson17@columbiastate.edu 931.540.2583

• Dr. Christa S. Martin, Assistant to the President, Office of Access & Diversity

cmartin@columbiastate.edu 931.540.2644