The University of Mississippi is one of America’s Top Military-Friendly Universities, is the number one school in Mississippi for veterans, is an Unlimited/Unlimited Yellow Ribbon School, and is a Purple Heart Campus. Veteran & Military Services (VMS) works to provide comprehensive resources to veterans, military, and dependents to aid in their overall success as Ole Miss students. As part of the Center for Student Success and First Year Experience, VMS assists students with certification requirements to receive VA Education Entitlements with the GI Bill®, as well as provide advice, guidance, advocacy, and outreach services for our military-connected student population. Veteran & Military Services works hard to take care of all members of this unique student population, and welcome them to the Ole Miss Family.

If you are a veteran, active duty, or are currently serving in a guard or reserve unit, providing your DD-214 or proof of current service will get you EARLY PRIORITY REGISTRATION, which allows you to get your classes before the general student body. This great addition to the benefits we provide for our military connected students allows us to continue serving those who’ve served, and we are honored to do it.

University of Mississippi employees shall comply with program integrity requirements issued by the Department of Defense, including but not limited to those contained in 34 CFR 668.71 – 668.75 & 668.14. Specifically, university employees shall comply with restrictions on fraudulent and aggressive recruitment of military students including, but not limited to, providing compensation to individuals for securing military enrollments or engaging in high-pressure recruitment tactics.

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LATEST NEWS

PRESS RELEASE: Everly and Elmo Take the Field

Ole Miss Wish sends Taylors to Orlando for family fun

September 15, 2021 BY JB CLARK

OXFORD, Miss. – When Everly Taylor and her siblings stepped onto Jerry Hollingsworth Field at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Saturday night (Sept. 11), they knew Everly was being honored as this year’s Ole Miss Wish kid, but they had no idea that the honor included meeting Walkaround Elmo from Sesame Street.

On the Jumbotron, Athletics Director Keith Carter, joined by Andrew Newby, assistant director of veteran and military services at the University of Mississippi, welcomed the Taylor family and introduced the furry red monster after the first quarter of Saturday’s football game. They also informed Everly and her siblings that they would be taking a trip in a private jet to visit Sesame Street Land and Sea World.

“As soon as she saw Elmo on the field, she was stoked,” said Melanie Taylor, Everly’s mom. “She kept touching him like she couldn’t tell if he was real.

“And when we went back to the suite to watch the game, it was like her walls came down. She felt like a superstar and was waving at everyone as they walked by.”

Taylor said her daughter was still walking around like she was famous at church the next day.

A Lifelong Battle

Everly was born with a brain tumor, but it wasn’t diagnosed until Melanie and her husband, Joe, a retired Air Force master sergeant, adopted her at age 4. Now 8, she has had two brain surgeries and is undergoing her second round of chemotherapy in hopes of stabilizing the tumor growth.

Ole Miss Wish is a program designed to give military-connected families fighting a child’s life-threatening and chronic illnesses a perfect Ole Miss experience.

Newby, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, said he is passionate about this program because the demands of being a military-connected family is already difficult enough without any added pressures.

“I started Ole Miss Wish in 2018 with the purpose of giving back to families,” he said. “Military life isn’t easy, and to have children with a life-threatening illness adds an entirely different layer to the struggle of life.

“This program is a way to give joy to kids, and I love being able to watch the experience affect the entire family.”

An All-In Family

The Taylors are no stranger to cancer.

“I’m also a cancer survivor, so we feel strongly that God placed Everly in a family that knew this road already and the ins and outs of oncology and surgery – we already knew the questions to ask,” Taylor said. “It took us by surprise when she was diagnosed, but we also felt equipped in certain respects. Though it’s a lot harder to watch your child go through it.”

Programs like this not only offer a bright spot to her daughter, who is fighting a daily battle, but also for her other children who make daily sacrifices to support their sister.

“Everly understands that she gets special attention because she has to be a strong little girl and she has to deal with cancer,” Taylor said. “And my other kids kept telling her, ‘Evs, this is a special day for you.’ But it’s for them, too.”

Tripp, 12; Hudson, 11; and Lorelai, 9, all joined Everly on the sidelines, where they tossed balls with players and trainers and even took pictures with John Rhys Plumlee, who is one of their favorite baseball and football players. Tripp even got to shoot the cannon as the players took the field.

“Programs like Ole Miss Wish do so much for the bonding and strengthening of our family because it gives us an opportunity to enjoy each other on a different level, away from the stress of the constant tests and checkups and worries,” Taylor said.

PRESS RELEASE: Senior Honored With Student Veteran Leadership Award

Jamie King is passionate about helping student veterans

August 19, 2021 BY JB CLARK

King, a geology major originally from the Delta town of Cleveland, joins 24 other student veterans across the country being awarded this year for their ongoing service to other student veterans.

After serving as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, King enrolled at Ole Miss as a nontraditional student. He faced a number of obstacles, most of which he initially internalized instead of reaching out for help.

Now, as president of UM’s Student Veterans Association, King helps other student veterans avoid the very hurdles that tripped him up.

“In the military, you do your job and rely on the person next to you do theirs,” he said. “While that is inherently cooperative, the only part you can control is your role.”

But that mindset quickly put King behind in the classroom.

“My job was to read the text, participate in the exercises and then do well on the examinations,” he said. “I didn’t reach out for help when I was struggling. I didn’t connect with study groups. I was really uncertain on how to interact with other students.

“That’s when veterans shut down, don’t ask questions and fall behind. It’s a combination of ego, pride and social norms, but it was tough to have to ask an 18-year-old student for help – it was a gut check. I still don’t love doing it.”

Remembering his first year as a student veteran is what kept King motivated to continue reaching out to student veterans last year, even though he had to do it virtually. He and his team kept an ever-updating list of active-military students and student veterans with whom they stayed in regular contact.

Last year, just before the pandemic stopped most interstate travel, King traveled to Washington, D.C., to lobby for student veterans alongside Andrew Newby, assistant director for veterans and military services, and Lauren Graham, past Student Veterans Association president and 2020 Student Veteran Leadership Award recipient. That trip, he said, opened his eyes to the impact he can have on future generations of student veterans.

“Jamie has unlimited potential to do anything he sets his mind to do,” Newby said. “He is capable of gently leading from the front, and he has a wonderful way of exciting people to partner with his vision. I hope that he continues working with student veterans like himself, because he has such a wonderful way of connecting with students.

“He’s lived it, from trying college and joining the military, coming home from a deployment and getting back to life. He’s been on both sides of the equation, and that’s why he’s so great with other student veterans and senior leaders.”

King is happy to receive the award but didn’t think he was doing anything other than what he is supposed to.

“It is very heartwarming to have someone recognize my efforts, but I was just doing what I thought was right,” King said. “When I know that people need help, I just try to fix it.”

This year’s entire cohort of Student Veteran Leadership Award honorees shared that same drive to help others, said Dan Fazio, managing editor of GI Jobs magazine.

“Jamie King and the other Student Veteran Leadership Award winners were chosen for their passion for paying forward the support they’ve received during their post-military education,” he said. “They volunteer their time to help others despite crazy busy schedules. They mentor and advocate for their fellow student veterans.

“They help improve programs and services for veterans, and their efforts have a lasting impact on their schools and communities. We’re honored to shine a spotlight on these future leaders of America.”

Read the Student Veteran Leadership Award article at GIJobs.com.

PRESS RELEASE: Student Veterans Celebrate One-Stop Shop for Resources

Office of Veteran and Military Services cuts ribbon on renovated space in George Street House

OXFORD, Miss. – University of Mississippi student veterans and military-connected students have better access to the specialized services they require than ever before with the opening of the new Veteran and Military Services office in the George Street House.

Student veterans, such as Angela Roberts, a Marine veteran and biology major from Dallas, have a one-stop shop for accessing their benefits, seeking academic support, studying and simply socializing with other student veterans. Previously, Ole Miss students had to visit separate offices on different sides of campus to receive the benefits offered to them as veterans.

Roberts said it’s been crucial having access to administrators who have been in her shoes and peers who are also trying to reintegrate into civilian life while adjusting to life on campus.

“When you leave the military, you don’t always know how to start the process,” she said. “You’re trying to integrate into society, trying to be a civilian, and have to shift your mindset.

“Having these services helped me find some normalcy and feel like it’s not over just because I left the military. This is a new chapter and I have to make it work, but having these resources – and having Stelenna (Lloyd, operations coordinator for VMS) and Andrew (Newby, assistant director of VMS) – helps. I don’t know where I would be right now without them.”

The new space, nestled near the Lyceum and the J.D. Williams Library, isn’t just logistically convenient. With a few upgrades, lots of paint and some new furniture, it serves as a respite for students.

Newby said he’s most excited about having a central place for student veterans to be able to go, to study in a quiet place where they know space is always available for them, or even just to get a snack. Also, having the VMS office and the Veterans Resource Center in such a central and visible location on campus shows a commitment from leadership to take care of student veterans, he said.

“We can now fully serve, in one location, all the needs of a student veteran,” Newby said. “They can study, print for free, relax, get food, schedule doctors’ appointments, get their VA disabilities handled, apply for survivor’s benefits, get a home loan, get insurance, take care of the administrative side of their education – they can do anything here but sleep.”

Before, a student veteran who wanted to visit both the VMS office and the Veterans Resource Center couldn’t do it on a short break between classes. Now, student veterans, whether young or nontraditional, disabled or simply busy, have ADA-compliant access to all the services and support they need in one place.

The full kitchen, which was provided through a Home Depot grant, also will serve as a satellite location for the Grove Grocery, the university’s student-operated food pantry.

The building previously housed offices for the School of Applied Sciences. Before moving in, Newby and his team fully renovated the building with help from the Facilities Management Department and the Office of the Provost.

Extra money needed for paint and new furniture was raised through the sale of special “Welcome Home” vanity license plates organized through the Student Veterans Association, Newby said.

PRESS RELEASE: Alumna Receives National Student Veteran Leadership Award

Lauren Graham receives GI Jobs Student Veteran Leadership Award

August 10, 2020 BY JB CLARK

UM alumna Lauren Graham is featured on the cover of the August issue of G.I. Jobs magazine.OXFORD, Miss. – Lauren Graham, a recent University of Mississippi graduate, has been recognized as one of the nation’s top student veterans as a result of her persistence in overcoming challenges and excelling as a student, volunteer and leader in her community.

Graham recently received the G.I. Jobs Magazine 2020 Student Veteran Leadership Award and was featured on the cover of the publication’s August 2020 issue.

The national honor is handed out annually by the magazine’s editorial team to student veterans who make a positive impact on their school and fellow students.

“It’s honestly crazy that out of all the student veterans nominated, they picked me,” said Graham, who graduated earlier this year. “There are only 48 of us, so I’m really honored to be recognized.”

Graham, an accountant at the Houston, Texas-based accounting firm KPMG, said she is happy that the honor will highlight the opportunities the university offers veterans.

In the issue, which can be read online, Graham tells the story of how she found a home at Ole Miss, and within the university’s veteran program.

“We’ve been telling the success stories of student veterans in the post 9/11 era since 2001, and we wanted a way for postsecondary schools to recognize vets who are making a difference in their communities and with other veterans,” said Dan Fazio, managing editor of G.I. Jobs.

“Most veterans are better off for their service and go on to become great students, employees and community leaders. The military has equipped them to excel, and we love sharing their success stories.”

The students chosen this year were selected specifically for their contributions to other student veterans and to bridging the cultural gap between student veterans and civilians students, faculty and staff while overcoming the unique challenges of being both a veteran and a student.

Graham received a medical separation from the U.S. Navy in 2017 and came to the university, where she had trouble finding her way until she found the Student Veterans Association and the Veterans Treatment Teams. Once connected to the SVA, she became active and advocated for veteran-civilian organization partnerships at universities across the country.

Andrew Newby, assistant director for veterans and military services, nominated Graham for this year’s award. He told the magazine that she has made an immediate, positive impact on the campus and community, calling her a “change catalyst” who championed a shift in campus culture for military-connected students.

“Lauren has been an incredible asset to the military-connected students at Ole Miss,” Newby said. “She has driven change for student veterans, traveled to Washington, D.C., to advocate for them at the national level and has connected the community to campus through her working with Veteran and Military Services and military families.

“Lauren will be greatly missed, but she’s left this campus in better shape than she found it.”

PRESS RELEASE: The End of Watch

Ole Miss’s oldest student veteran dies at 77

July 11, 2019 BY ANNA GIBBS

James “Handsome Jim” Willis, the oldest student veteran at the University of Mississippi, passed away Tuesday at Baptist Hospital-North Mississippi following a brief illness.

Willis, 77, was a veteran of the United States Navy and a retired Teamster, who recently celebrated 29 years of sobriety, something he said was one of his proudest accomplishments. In 2018, he enrolled at the University to pursue his lifelong dream of earning a college degree. Having previously started his studies at Ramopo College in New Jersey, he was just 15 credit hours shy of a degree in social sciences. Willis first made headlines in a piece the EAGLE published on August 21, 2018 titled “Scooting to Success,” which told the story of how he got his famous scooter that helped him travel around campus in spite of his limited mobility.

Once Andrew Newby, Assistant Director for Veteran and Military Services, found out Willis enrolled at Ole Miss, Newby said he made it his mission to help Willis. Newby worked with local nonprofit Volunteers for Veterans to get the scooter for Willis. While Willis was the first 77-year-old student veteran Newby had worked with, and he said Willis was a “remarkable man” who fit right in with the Ole Miss Student Veteran family.

“Handsome Jim never met a stranger, and was always a friend to everyone he met,” Newby said. “He didn’t let his age or his disabilities get in his way, and he was a joy to be with. Lucky for Handsome Jim, ‘one never graduates from Ole Miss,’ and he will always be one of my fondest memories of this place. The University sends its sincerest regrets, but also remembers his smile, his lovable laugh and the way he made others feel.”

It was not uncommon to see Willis sitting in the Veterans Resource Center after class, eager to strike up a conversation with anyone who walked in. He was a great listener, Newby said, and paired that skill with a wicked sense of humor and storytelling ability.

While he was perhaps one of the most non-traditional of the non-traditional students at Ole Miss, Willis said he felt welcomed and right at home.

“The veterans are really good guys, and made me feel comfortable and are so excited that, at my age, I’m going back to school,” Willis said in 2018. “They said, ‘That’s fantastic. It’s a good thing for the younger guys to see.’”

Willis said he was looking forward to scooting across the stage as an 80-year-old graduate, and his efforts have not been wasted. According to Newby, Ramopo College has made arrangements to award Willis a posthumous degree in recognition of his hard work.

“I can’t say enough about how incredible he was. The fact that he came back to school to pursue his education, to live out his lifelong (love of) learning, goes to show just how much he was capable of doing,” Newby said. “I’m lucky to have known him, however briefly, and I’m certain his imprint will forever be on my life, my work and my views on education.”

PRESS RELEASE: Ole Miss Veteran Services Move to George Street House

Veteran & Military Services, Veterans Resource Center to move in together

May 27, 2019 BY ANNA GIBBS

The Office of Veteran and Military Services and the Veterans Resource Center at Ole Miss will finally come together in a central location on campus this fall.

It’s something Andrew Newby, Assistant Director of Veteran and Military Services, said was a positive step in improving the lives of student veterans. The new VMS office and VRC location will be George Street House, formerly the home of the School of Applied Sciences. The VMS office is currently housed in the third floor of Martindale Hall, and the VRC is located in the basement of Yerby Hall.

The new location is one Newby described as “prime real estate,” saying he especially wanted to thank Dr. Brandi Hephner-Labanc and Leslie Banahan for their help in the process.

“It’s a central location on campus. It’s a sign of institutional commitment, which I’m really big about,” Newby said. “It was really championed by the leadership at the Student Affairs office.”

Moving to George Street House will solve one of the student veterans’ biggest problems: accessibility. Currently, the distance between the VMS office and the VRC is approximately 10 minutes for an able-bodied person, and much more for those with mobility issues. Another issue with the current VRC location, Newby said, was the lack of interior elevator access and bathrooms in the basement level of Yerby Hall.

Many student veterans – the majority of the 1,300-plus Ole Miss students receiving GI Bill benefits – were forced to choose between using the resources at the VRC and handling paperwork at the VMS office.

“I’ve said since the beginning that a one-stop location is the practice across the country, and that’s the model we should strive for,” Newby said. “With George Street House, there are no stairs walking in, with a bathroom on the first floor. My office is on the second floor, but there’s an elevator to get there. This is just a great step in the right direction for accessibility.”

Another benefit of George Street Hall is its proximity to academic buildings. In the near future, Newby said, the relocation will boost involvement in the student veteran organization on campus as well as allow them to bring in more resources for veterans in need. Ole Miss has already been recognized multiple times for being a top university for veterans, and the move to a central location will help cement that reputation, he said.

It will also serve as a launchpad for opportunity, for career growth and personal growth.

“Moving into this location is going to increase visibility. It’s going to make them feel like they matter, like they’re an important asset on campus,” Newby said. “Because they’re going to be coming in to a single location to get their benefits taken care of, there will obviously be more opportunities for student interaction.”

The move-out process is projected to begin in July, with a grand opening date set sometime in October.

PRESS RELEASE: Military Times: This school waives out-of-state tuition, GI Bill® or no GI Bill®

Military Times features story on Ole Miss, Veteran and Military Services

April 25, 2019, BY JOSHUA AXELROD

PRESS RELEASE: Surprise Welcome Home for 5th Grade Student, Soldier Mom

Sergeant Anna Seale surprises daughter with special return from Kuwait

April 2, 2019, BY ANDREW NEWBY

Sergeant Anna Seale deployed to Kuwait in May 2018 with the Mississippi National Guard in support of the Global War on Terror. A Supply Sergeant with the 155 Armored Brigade Combat Team, she knew when she left she wanted to do something special for her daughter, Addison Moore.

SGT Seale contacted Addison’s teacher, University Athletics, and Veteran & Military Services to develop a plan to surprise Addison with a special homecoming celebration. After working through the logistics, Athletics and VMS developed the plan that would enable Addison to be selected as the Kid Coach for the 7th Annual Kid’s Day Game.

Athletics and VMS arranged for Addison to come to the ballpark with her class, and meet Baseball Head Coach Mike Bianco at home plate for an attempted Skype call from SGT Seale, live from Kuwait. Little did Addison know, SGT Seale was waiting in the visiting team’s dugout for the surprise of a lifetime.

After the Skype call dropped, Addison was told that we would attempt another call during the game because there were technical difficulties with the connection. That’s when SGT Seale entered the field to roaring applause for the reunion.

This special day was made possible because of the sacrifices SGT Seale makes on a daily basis by choosing to serve in the military, and the Ole Miss Family is forever grateful to her and her fellow service members for making the necessary sacrifices to ensure our freedoms are preserved.

You can watch the homecoming here.

PRESS RELEASE: ‘Upgrade Your Tailgate’ to Support Veterans

UM Veteran and Military Services selling military-themed license plates

March 28, 2019, BY JUSTIN WHITMORE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi‘s Office of Veteran and Military Services wants to let Mississippians spruce up their car tags in 2019, while also raising money to help military veteran students at Ole Miss.

“Upgrade your tailgate” is the rallying cry for a push to get Mississippi license plates produced featuring an Ole Miss logo with an American flag color scheme. Production can’t begin, however, without the commitment of supporters of the university and its military veteran students.

“I came up with the idea to develop a license plate as a way to provide the community with a tangible way to demonstrate their love of Ole Miss and their support for veterans in the community,” said Andrew Newby, assistant director of veteran and military services.

The Mississippi Legislature last April approved the design of a specialty license plate featuring the traditional Ole Miss logo with a red, white and blue color scheme – the same logo the football team features on its helmets for the annual military appreciation game. The tag also has the words “Welcome Home” across the bottom, in honor of the Ole Miss campaign to support student veterans of the same name.

Before the tags can be produced, Newby must collect 300 pre-sale commitments and send that money to the Department of Revenue.

“I really like the design,” said Winston Taylor, Student Veterans Association treasurer. “The flag-colored Ole Miss logo is popular. Many of my friends actually bought the stickers of the same logo.”

Newby thinks the new license plate will be a product many Mississippians will want on their vehicles, but the cause that will receive the money is the real selling point.

“By working to create new revenue streams that can directly benefit the student veterans, these tags will help connect our mission to create concrete funding sources,” Newby said. “There is a direct benefit for purchasing a ‘Welcome Home’ license plate, because people have the ability to show their love for Ole Miss while also making an immediate, positive impact in the lives of real veterans in our community.”

Plates are $51 and can be purchased online; supporters also can fill out an online form and mail the application and check to Ole Miss Student Veterans Association, 3rd Floor, Suite R, Martindale Student Services Center, P.O. Box 1848, University, MS 38677-1848. Or, supporters can visit the office of Veteran and Military Services to fill out an application in person and deliver cash or check.

Once 300 pre-sales are accounted for, Newby will send a check for the full amount to the Department of Revenue and the tags will be printed. The DOR will send the finished plates to the respective car tag offices and those who purchased can swap out their current tag for the “Welcome Home” tag. The owner’s registration transfers to the new plate, and they are able to renew when registration is due.

The Office of Veteran and Military Services will eventually receive $37 for every plate sold that will be transferred to the university’s Welcome Home Campaign. Once there, it will be used at the discretion of Veteran and Military Services to support military veteran students at Ole Miss.

“The Welcome Home campaign was created in an effort to bring in resources that directly contribute to the well-being of student veterans at Ole Miss,” Newby said. “This campaign works to provide meaningful support and resources for student veterans in the form of scholarships, grants and resources for the Veterans Resource Center.”

Newby already has pinpointed some areas in which the money will help students.

“There are significant needs that we intend to address with how the Veterans Resource Center is cared for, and the money we raise will go toward computers, printing services, textbooks, testing materials and other amenities our students need,” he said.

Taylor said he hopes the fundraiser will continue the upward momentum the SVA has created with facilities and services on campus.

“We have only recently acquired the Veteran’s Resource Center here on campus,” he said. “This is a massive improvement from before, where everything was managed out of a small office in Martindale. Simple things like printing and Scantrons, along with more in-depth benefits such as career assistance are all things that veterans need and utilize.

“The VRC is a space where these things can be facilitated, but there is still much room for improvement.”

As of the end of March, the office had hit 20 percent of its goal of 300 commitments. With help from the Ole Miss community, Newby hopes to have the required 300 commitments by summer.

“Everyone is encouraged to participate with our campaign,” he said.

The Rebels baseball team is showing its support with the “step up to the plate” campaign to help raise awareness of the project.

For more information about purchasing a “Welcome Home” license plate, email sva.olemiss@gmail.com.

PRESS RELEASE: New Mississippi License Plate Supports Ole Miss Vets

Welcome Home License Plate benefits military-connected students

HottyToddy.com, FEBRUARY 13, 2019, Contributed by JACK NEWSON

Ole Miss prides itself on being welcoming to veterans. Now, a new initiative on campus is designed to show how much the university values its vets.

Andrew Newby, assistant director for veteran and military services, says there’s a good reason to go the extra mile for a student who has been in the armed forces.

“They stopped whatever it was they were doing to serve in the military, and now they come here and it’s our job to welcome them to the University of Mississippi,” Newby said.

People who share Newby’s views now have a new way to help.  The “Welcome Home” license plate initiative, passed in April of 2018, will raise $37 for every plate purchased. All of that money goes to support veterans at Ole Miss.

Eli Buguey is a veteran and a student at the university. He says it’s important for people to know that vets really do appreciate the support.

“It’s the little things like this plate that shows that the community, especially the Ole Miss and Oxford community and the community of Mississippi at large, are invested in veterans going back to school,” Buguey said.

If you are interested in buying a license plate, you can go to svatag.com and fill out the form on the website, or go to the military services office located on the third floor of Martindale on the Ole Miss camps to fill out an application.

PRESS RELEASE: Veterans Treatment Team Recognized as “Best Practice in Campus Strategies”

Association of Higher Education and Disability recognizes Ole Miss Veterans Treatment Team

AHEAD-VETERANS NEWSFEED, VOL 3, ISSUE 1, JANUARY 2019, Contributed by JAMES WEIER

The University of Mississippi has built a veteran treatment program, providing a national model for serving student veterans. The program uses a collaborative team approach to connect student veterans to campus resources, such as counseling, health services, or the array of support services offered such as academic support services. “The Veterans Treatment Team’s stated goal is to give ‘student veterans attending Ole Miss the ability to receive treatment at the university for anything they may need while in school.'” The Treatment Team directs students to campus resources for the care they need for the primary goal of academic issues.

Information about AHEAD and the Veterans Special Interest Group may be found at their website here.

PRESS RELEASE: Veterans Treatment Team Offers Comprehensive Services

Program provides national model for serving student veterans at other universities

JANUARY 18, 2019 BY JUSTIN WHITMORE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OXFORD, Miss. – Lauren Graham came to the University of Mississippi for a second chance after a tragic incident ended her blossoming career as a nuclear electrician’s mate for the United States Navy.

Graham was a few months away from completing training at the Navy’s Nuclear Power School when she was assaulted while out for a run. The attack landed her in the hospital, and medication provided to her during treatment ultimately disqualified her from serving in the Navy’s nuclear program.

“I decided to come back to school and start my life over,” said the junior accounting major from Fisher, Texas. “I came to Ole Miss because I fell in love with how wonderful the campus is.”

When she got to Ole Miss, anxiety from the traumatic event hindered her college experience. She rarely left her apartment and would not walk the campus after dark.

But help was on the way.

Graham would soon learn of the university’s Veterans Treatment Team, a program that would provide the support she needed to fight her anxiety and grow as a student.

Veterans Treatment Team

Andrew Newby made it a priority when he arrived at Ole Miss in August 2017 to provide a safety net to catch student veterans when any of the various issues that stem from a life of service begin to inhibit their education.

“They are parents, they are students, they are veterans,” said Newby, assistant director of the Office of Veteran and Military Services. “They have all these different identities they have to balance.

“But if you’re at Ole Miss, I want you to be a student. I want you to get a degree.”

The Veterans Treatment Team’s stated goal is to give “student veterans attending Ole Miss the ability to receive treatment at the university for anything they may need while in school.”

Newby’s idea was to use the resources already at the university and form a team that can collaborate and direct student veterans to the care they need that is already available on campus instead of having them drive hours away to a VA facility.

“We have physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and academic specialists that can help manage the different aspects of who a student veteran is,” he said.

It was through the Veterans Treatment Team that Graham was linked with Ann L. “Jeni” Bond, a family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with the university’s Student Health Services.

Bond began working with Graham on battling her anxiety.

“Being able to talk and have that support system really allowed me to own what happened to me instead of being ashamed of it,” Graham said.

Bond also assisted Graham in acquiring Lilly, an emotional support dog. The black Labrador retriever, along with treatment she received, made all the difference in Graham’s experience as a student, she said.

“(The treatment) definitely helped me feel comfortable in class,” Graham said. “Last year, I never studied on campus and wouldn’t be on campus when the sun went down. Now, I feel comfortable being here.”

Graham is in a sorority and serves as vice president of the Student Veterans Association. She often walks Lilly on campus and having the dog makes her more comfortable.

“It’s really allowed me to go all in and actually try to be a part of the campus,” she said.

How the Treatment Team works

The process to create a comprehensive treatment team for student veterans began by pinpointing professionals on campus who could collaborate within the confines of HIPAA guidelines and work with student veterans to assess their health needs.

“We are looking at a holistic picture,” said Kate Forster, a case manager in the Office of Leadership and Advocacy and member of the Veterans Treatment Team. “We wanted to address everything from academic support, personal and social support, mental health, counseling and medical health care.

“We have so many great resources here, but if you don’t have a team that’s looking at the whole picture, it can feel very siloed.”

Forster said her role with the team is to identify the unique needs of the student veteran population, who generally are “nontraditional” students who may vary in age and life experiences. Many have family, financial and work responsibilities that traditional students may not face, she said.

“I think certainly there is a mental health aspect that is very unique to this population,” she said. “Mental health needs are common with college students in general, but the particular concerns that veterans may be facing in terms of trauma, PTSD, suicidality, depression and anxiety are well-known, and that’s something we have to pay attention to.”

Mental health issues often manifest themselves in physical ailments, Forster said, and that’s why the multidepartment collaboration of the Veterans Treatment Team is key.

The important thing is letting the military veterans know the service is available in a hassle-free environment, said Dr. Travis Yates, director of University Health Services. Yates said he sees student veterans for a variety of concerns, both physical and mental.

“Many of the veterans are pretty stoic people,” he said. “They don’t come in for little nickel-and-dime-type things. Some of the veterans don’t want to tell me they are depressed or anxious, but I try to break those barriers down.

“We can offer more prompt service than they can get at the VA, and I just want them to know there are no barriers to care here.”

On-campus health care providers also communicate with the VA to coordinate care for student veterans as allowed by HIPAA.

Newby has frequently identified student veterans in need of help and made referrals to the appropriate health care provider on campus. Emphasizing the availability of these services shows veterans they are valued on campus, he said.

“Ole Miss has been entrusted with this person, and we want to provide them the best access that we can,” Newby said. “We are telling all the veterans everywhere that if you come (to Ole Miss), you matter.”

Impact and the future

There are success stories like Graham’s across the Ole Miss campus, Forster said.

“There are definitely student veterans that I’ve worked with that I do think, without the resources of the university that the treatment team has provided, would have struggled,” she said. “Support from the counseling center, support from the Student Health Center and all those other pieces have been critical to allow students to be successful.”

Graham said her personal experience and her role as SVA vice president motivate her to make sure all student veterans are getting the help they need.

“It really gives you a support system you won’t find anywhere else,” Graham said. “I know how much it helped me and all I want to do now is help other people. If it can turn their lives around like it turned mine around, I think everybody should know about it.”

Newby sees the Veterans Treatment Team as a model for other universities across the nation, and he hopes to see it implemented for other student veterans.

“We hope to do this, not to put Ole Miss on the map, but to take care of the next ‘greatest generation’ of veterans across the country,” he said. “If something like this opens up for the rest of the country, it will improve the lives of veterans.”

Newby said the program is a “win-win,” in that it benefits the VA with cost savings and reduction of backlog and benefits veterans with access to convenient services.

Like with many other programs offered by Veteran and Military Services, Newby and others are focused on making sure each veteran on campus knows they have an avenue to becoming a healthier and happier member of the Ole Miss family.

“I see happier students across campus, especially ones that I know are using the treatment team,” he said. “They are more engaged.

“If you let somebody be heard and let them know you care, their attitude is going to change. Now student veterans who may have felt overlooked know we have this thing that says, ‘We’re here for you and we’re going to help you.’”

PRESS RELEASE: University Recognized for Student Veteran Services, Treatment

Rankings place Ole Miss in top 5 percent nationally for military services

DECEMBER 17, 2018 BY JUSTIN WHITMORE

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi has been recognized as a top institution for military veteran students for 2019 by both Military Times and College Factual.

Press Release: Ole Miss Ranked Best University for Veterans in Mississippi

The University of Mississippi has been named the best university for student veterans in the state by College Factual.

November 22, 2018 BY ANNA GIBBS, HOTTYTODDY.COM

With nearly 200 student veterans at UM, it’s an accomplishment Andrew Newby, Assistant Director of Veteran and Military Services at the university, described as a “culture shift” in the campus climate – one that’s taken place in less than two years.

“Being the best in the state means a lot to me because we’ve really worked to change the way we do things since my arrival last year,” Newby said. “We always have more work to do, but this is proof that we are making meaningful impacts in the lives of student veterans. Being in the top five percent nationally says a lot about the way our University is doing things now, and we will continue to ensure our veterans are a priority.”

Demonstrating the university’s renewed commitment to its veterans would not be possible without the efforts of the Ole Miss Student Veterans Association. Implementing events like the Veterans Gala, recognizing those who served at sporting events and launching the nonprofit philanthropy Ole Miss Wish are just a few ways the SVA gives back to the community.

However, according to SVA president and the United States Navy veteran Evan Ciocci, the most important factors contributing to this achievement are the opening of UM’s first Veterans Resource Center and, with it, expanded services that provide holistic care for veterans in need.

“In the past year and a half, veterans services at Ole Miss have improved immensely,” Ciocci said. “We now have a veteran treatment team to make healthcare more accessible and are continuing to make a more welcoming atmosphere for student veterans transitioning from military to student life.”

Ole Miss beat out 14 other Mississippi universities to claim the top spot, with Mississippi State University and the University of Southern Mississippi coming in second and third, respectively.

For more information on veteran services at the University of Mississippi, visit https://vms.olemiss.edu. To read the original post from College Factual, click here.

Press Release: UM Student Veterans Association Reaches New Heights

NOVEMBER 10, 2018 BY CHRIS KWIECINSKI, Oxford Eagle

Press Release: Ole Miss Wish Granted to Cancer Survivor

Benjamin Clark honored with Disney trip, memorable weekend thanks to Student Veterans Association

NOVEMBER 8, 2018 BY JUSTIN WHITMORE

Press Release: Scooting to Success: 77-Year-Old Veteran Starts Class at Ole Miss With a New Ride

77-year-old veteran starts class at Ole Miss with a new ride

AUGUST 21, 2018 BY ANNA GIBBS

OXFORD, Miss. – James “Handsome Jim” Willis isn’t the typical Ole Miss student, but thanks to a few good Samaritans, the soon-to-be 77-year-old will be scooting to success this semester.

Willis is a Navy veteran and retired Teamster who, after 28 years, is fulfilling his lifelong dream of earning a degree. A social sciences major, Willis said he realized he needed to take classes on campus, but wasn’t sure how that would happen due to limited mobility from coronary artery disease.

“I’m handicapped. I can walk, but only about 50 feet before I’ve got to sit down,” Willis said. “I can park in the handicap spots, but I’ve still got to go to the buildings somehow.”

Once Andrew Newby, Assistant Director for Veteran and Military Services, found out Willis enrolled at Ole Miss, Newby said he made it his mission to help Willis. The first day they met, Newby said he noticed Willis had difficulty walking from the handicap parking spot outside Martindale Hall to the Veterans and Military Services office on the third floor.

Newby said he exhausted several options before finding someone to donate a scooter for Willis, but was fortunate to find local organization Volunteers for Veterans Oxford.

“Volunteers for Veterans actually helps veterans in the community, and the community is big – it doesn’t just include the veterans home or the VFW or just the student veterans,” Newby said. “We have this giant group of veterans, and we’re connecting town and gown through partnerships like this. There was a problem, and these guys presented a real solution. It’s the best solution we could do right now, and it’s a good one.”

He called Joe Dickey and Tony Deal, leaders of the organization. Within an hour, they secured a brand-new Jazzy scooter from Jackson-based company Mobility Medical.

Newby said, while Willis is the first 77-year-old student veteran he’s worked with, he already knows he’ll be an asset on campus. Willis completed 98 credits 28 years ago at Ramapo College in his native New Jersey, so he said he looked forward to getting his feet wet in a classroom setting.

Every time he’s on campus, Willis will park outside the Veterans Resource Center in the Yerby Hall basement and pick up the scooter. He’ll be able to drive it up ramps, in elevators and even inside classrooms before returning it to the VRC to charge for the next day.

“The veterans are really good guys, and made me feel comfortable and are so excited that, at my age, I’m going back to school,” Willis said. “They said, ‘That’s fantastic. It’s a good thing for the younger guys to see.’”

Newby and the University have also matched Willis with a personal academic adviser, Jennifer Phillips. Corey Blount, an access services coordinator with Student Disability Services, as well as the University’s sign language interpreter, is also working with Willis.

“(Blount’s) wonderful to work with, especially with my population of students, because he’ll do anything and everything,” Newby said. “… He’s going to work with this guy who’s completely outside his wheelhouse, because he actually cares.”

Success seems to be the name of the game for Willis, who proudly proclaims to be 28 years sober and said he’s looking forward to offering a listening ear to classmates who think they have a substance abuse problem.

As a standing junior, Willis acknowledges he’s got a long road ahead before he gets his diploma, but said he’s excited to scoot across the stage as an 80-year-old graduate.

Press Release: Ole Miss Wish Makes One Special Fan’s Day

Colton Bullock’s adventure is part of Student Veterans Association charity effort

May 2, 2018 BY SHEA STEWART

OXFORD, Miss. – On Friday afternoon (April 27), the Walk of Champions through the Grove at the University of Mississippi was reserved for just one champion: 8-year-old Colton Bullock of Brandon.

Colton, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 3 in September 2013, was made an honorary lifetime member of the Ole Miss Student Veterans Association before that evening’s Ole Miss vs. LSU baseball game at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field. To celebrate the honor, the association bestowed upon Colton his own walk through the Grove before a ride to the stadium aboard an Oxford Fire Department fire engine, complete with flashing lights and blaring sirens.

Colton’s honor was made possible through My Ole Miss Wish, a philanthropic effort of the Ole Miss Student Veterans Association, a nonprofit that works to solve complex issues surrounding veterans in higher education. My Ole Miss Wish works with military families to give children unforgettable Ole Miss experiences in partnership with Charter Road Hospitality and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Colton is the son of Ken Bullock, a first lieutenant in the Mississippi Air National Guard where he serves as a flight nurse, and Brittney Bullock.

Supporting military families is important because it is part of the university’s Flagship Forward Strategic Plan, which includes building healthy and vibrant communities, said Andrew Newby, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and UM assistant director of Veteran and Military Services.

“The SVA is composed of student veterans dedicated to service, and this initiative allows them to serve in new and different ways by making impacts in the lives of our state,” Newby said. “Student veterans understand the transient nature of military families, and with this in mind, we want to make sure they understand that they have a place within the Ole Miss family.”

Ole Miss baseball coach Mike Bianco offers a few words of encouragement to Colton Bullock. Photo by Thomas Graning/Ole Miss Communications

Colton’s day also included a Pass and Review Parade with more than 150 members of the university’s ROTC program and Ole Miss family saluting him, a meet-and-greet with the Rebels baseball team and throwing out the first pitch at the game

On Saturday (April 28), Colton was involved in a Nerf gun war that raged across the Grove. The family’s hotel stay was provided by Charter Road Hospitality, which operates several hotels.

“My Ole Miss Wish will continue to find military families with an affinity or affiliation to the university, and hopes to work with one family in the fall and one in the spring,” Newby said. “As the program gains traction, we hope the community will continue to support our efforts, as they have so far with the new additions to our programming and initiatives on campus.

“The goal in all of this is to make the University of Mississippi nationally relevant for veterans, and we are heading in the right direction.”

The Ole Miss Student Veterans Association was introduced to Colton and his story during this year’s RebelTHON charity, a dance marathon that raised a record-breaking $265,912.30 for the Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital at the UM Medical Center, exceeding its goal of $225,000. Colton is a patient at Batson.

“The purpose of My Ole Miss Wish is to give Ole Miss experiences to children with illnesses and military families,” said Evan Ciocci, a Navy veteran who serves as president of the Ole Miss Student Veterans Association. “It is important to support the family of military as it is the military member.

“It is our way of giving back to the community and continuing to serve; though our service time is up, (it) doesn’t mean we cannot continue to serve.”

Colton arrived for his wish clad in a powder blue Ole Miss baseball hat and jersey, as the ROTC cadets in uniforms and green-and-blue camouflage lined the Walk of Champions.

Colton’s honorary lifetime member statement was read aloud to him, noting his “strength, courage and amazing ability to overcome any obstacles.”

“Your genuine love and support of your family, your respect for your parents and your love for Ole Miss make this an easy decision,” the statement read. “We look forward to great things from you in the future, and hope you will accept this small token of appreciation as a sign of commitment to you, your family and your future.”

With that, the No. 1 question on the Ole Miss campus was asked: “Are you ready?” Then the crowd erupted with Hotty Toddy as Colton made his way down the walk, high-fiving the blue-, red- and green-clad throng awaiting him.

To nominate children and families to participate in My Ole Miss Wish, contact Andrew Newby at andrew@olemiss.edu. Please put “My Ole Miss Wish” in the subject line.

Press Release: Ole Miss Unveils Purple Heart Recognition Program

Purple Heart recipients receive Purple Heart Parking Pass, unveil Purple Heart Parking Spot at heart of campus

April 24, 2018 BY EDWIN B. SMITH

OXFORD, Miss. – Most University of Mississippi students are restricted from parking in certain areas of campus, but that is about to change for Don Zielenski and other Purple Heart recipients at Ole Miss.

The sophomore from south Texas is the first to receive the new Purple Heart Parking Pass, which allows owners to park anywhere on campus. The permit will be unveiled during the university’s Purple Heart Recognition Program at 10 a.m. April 24 on the Lyceum steps.

The event will highlight efforts by the Office of Veteran and Military Services to honor the university’s veteran community and promote access across UM’s official Purple Heart University campus.

“The Purple Heart Recognition Program allows students, faculty, staff and retirees the opportunity to exchange their current parking pass for a Purple Heart Parking Pass,” said Andrew Newby, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and UM assistant director of veteran and military services. “This pass allows the recipient to park in any lot within any space on campus.

“We will have a dedicated space in the Lyceum Circle that is marked with a Purple Heart placard, which will allow visitors with proper proof of Purple Heart credentials to access the space as well.”

The April 24 program schedule includes the March of the Colors by the ROTC Color Guard and the official party, the national anthem performed by the University Low Brass Group and opening remarks from Evan Ciocci of Sandwich, Massachusetts, a sophomore information systems management and computer science major and president of the Student Veterans Association.

Newby will discuss VMS programming, present the parking pass and unveil the parking spot on the Circle as the ceremony ends.

Zielenski was a cavalry scout in the U.S. Army. While on deployment as a turret gunner on mounted vehicle patrol, he was struck during a mortar attack. Pushing through his injuries, Zielenski continued to fire on the enemy, which resulted in a Bronze Star Medal with Valor device and a Purple Heart.

Months later on the same deployment, he was on foot patrol when an improvised explosive device triggered a set of explosives placed on top of a building. The building collapsed onto Zielenski, rupturing his spleen, which was removed in transit aboard a helicopter, collapsing a lung and crushing his skull. His injuries left him deaf and blind on the left side of his face, and he was awarded a second Purple Heart.

“Don recovered from his injuries and is now majoring in psychology,” Newby said. “He intends to work with veterans experiencing PTS and TBI. We look forward to great things from Don, and are excited to honor him here at this Purple Heart campus.”

Zielenski said he is honored to have been chosen as the first student to receive the Purple Heart Parking Pass.

“Andrew has helped our Student Veterans Association progress by leaps and bounds in the short time he has been here,” said the veteran, who was stationed at Camp Hovey South Korea in 2008, then deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. “Being part of the Student Veterans helped tremendously upon arriving my freshman year. This organization gave me a great group of people I could associate with.”

Three years ago, UM, the city of Oxford and Lafayette County were named a Purple Heart University, a Purple Heart City and a Purple Heart County for their efforts to create a welcoming environment for veterans and Purple Heart recipients. The Purple Heart is a military decoration given only to those wounded or killed in combat.

While UM is one of four SEC institutions to hold the Purple Heart University designation, it is the first university in Mississippi to receive the designation in conjunction with the city and county in which it is located.

“The special things that Ole Miss does specifically for veterans that attend the university are what qualify them to become a Purple Heart University,” said Ben Baker, commander of the Oxford Purple Heart Chapter.

The university’s Office of Veteran and Military Services was created in April 2013 to provide comprehensive resources for veterans, active members of the military and their dependents, and to assist them in becoming successful as Ole Miss students.

“Being named a Purple Heart University means we support, honor and welcome veterans to this great campus,” said Matt Hayes, senior military instructor for Army ROTC and a Purple Heart recipient. “When you have a campus that is supportive of your goals and ambitions, it really gives the veteran the inspiration and drive to succeed.”

Ole Miss is home to 1,355 military-connected students, 959 of whom are using GI Education Benefits.

Press Release: Ole Miss Opens First Veterans Resource Center

Student Veterans have a dedicated space on campus

February 22, 2018 BY CHRISTINA STEUBE

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi hosted a grand opening Wednesday (Feb. 21) of its Veterans Resource Center, which will provide student veterans with a variety of benefits to improve their quality of life on campus.

More than 1,300 Ole Miss students are veterans, active military or military dependents. This center serves as a space for them to study, receive support and camaraderie from other veterans and speak with university representatives about veteran issues, such as GI benefits and treatment.

The center is in the basement of the E.F. Yerby Conference Center and will be open to veterans on campus 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

The student veteran population on campus continues to grow, making this facility a much-needed resource to provide the best possible assistance for these students in their transition from the military to college life, said Evan Ciocci, president of the Student Veterans Association.

“We are extremely grateful the university is working to better our quality of life on campus and from here on out, we want to continue to provide resources, advocacy and support for student veterans,” said Ciocci, a sophomore general studies major from Sandwich, Massachusetts, who served in the U.S. Navy.

“SVA and veteran services provided the support to make Mississippi my home, and I love it here.”

Andrew Newby, assistant director for veterans and military services at the UM Center for Student Success and First Year Experience, has been working on providing a space for student veterans since his arrival at Ole Miss last year.

“We are so pleased to have this space for our student veterans to utilize and hopefully outgrow,” Newby said.

The resource center also will provide student veterans with academic resources and test materials, such as Scantrons and textbooks. The center is seeking donations of any unwanted textbooks to provide more options for its students.

Press Release: Free Law School Available for Eligible Veterans

Initiative covers costs for those qualifying under Post-9/11 GI Bill®

October 20, 2017 BY JORDAN THOMAS