The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is included for the second year in the top 25 Best Colleges for Veterans among Regional Universities in the South, according to U.S. News and World Report.
UTC’s participation “in federal initiatives helping veterans and active-duty service members apply for, pay for and complete their degrees” earned the University a spot at number 22 for 2015.
With its mission to “assist active duty service members, veterans, reservists, Guardsmen, and family members with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits and services,” the UTC Office of Veteran and Military Student Services works hard to assist each veteran who seeks an education at the University.
“The Coordinator of Veteran Student Services and Programs and the Student Veteran Origination have collaborated to establish a dedicated veteran center, where student veterans can meet other veterans who have shared experiences that are far different from their traditional student peers,” said Joe Wiram, US Army (Retired), Coordinator of Veteran Student Services.
He explains that the transition from military life to academia has been made easier by the combined efforts of the departments within UTC Student Development.
“One example is Green Zone, which is a program developed by Student Veteran Services and Programs and the Counseling and Personal Development Center. The Green Zone program is designed to give our students a way to recognize faculty and staff who have been trained to be resources and allies for student veterans and their dependents. Student veterans have the opportunity to apply for priority class registration, tuition deferment, and the Yellow Ribbon Program. For some out-of-state veterans, in-state tuition is granted. UTC is very veteran friendly and we are striving to be friendlier,” Wiram said.
UTC Student Veterans Organization supports scholarship, engages in community
An important way veterans connect on campus is with the UTC Student Veterans Organization (SVO). SVO “strives to be a force of support and positive change among the hundreds of Veterans at UTC.” This non-political group is “dedicated to the academic and professional success of all Student Veterans and dependents using GI Benefits.”
SVO is actively involved in a task force formed by Chattanooga Mayor Andy Burke and Chattanooga City Council Chair Chip Henderson to address chronic veterans’ homelessness in Chattanooga.
In November 2014, SVO continued the UTC SVO Veterans Day 5K with a new twist—the Red, White, and Blue 5K Color Run. This annual event began in 2007 to help fund the Sergeant David Alex Stephens Memorial Scholarship Fund. Stephens, an alumnus of UTC, was killed in action in 2007 while he was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The scholarship fund is intended to ease the financial burden of student veterans while they attend college.
New network: student women veterans group formed
Across the United States, more women have joined the military in recent years. UTC has created a new student group for women veterans. Listen to Rabbit Zielke’s report for Around and About on WUTC.
Veteran’s Entrepreneurship Program to continue in 2015
UTC’s College of Business began a program in 2012 to assist all U.S. veterans who have dreams of opening their own business.
In 2015, the UTC College of Business will offer the fourth annual Veteran’s Entrepreneurship Program, aimed at qualified veterans who have served on active duty and received a DD214, have a service-connected disability or distinguished military service and have a passion for small business ownership.
In addition to a month of self-study curriculum developed by the UTC College of Business, the VEP offers an on-campus, eight-day residency—an intense, rigorous and demanding hands-on learning experience and interaction with faculty, guest entrepreneurs, business experts, and peer delegates. Delegates universally praise the VEP Boot Camp, saying they enjoy the pace and challenges it presents.
Following the VEP Boot Camp, delegates receive continued mentorship from UTC entrepreneurship experts.
Learn more about the Veterans Entrepreneurship Program at UTC.
