With more than 475 veterans and more than 375 military spouses and dependents enrolled as students at UT, the university will open a resource center as a welcoming space for military students and their families.
The Veterans Resource Center is scheduled to open during the 2016-2017 academic year on the ground floor of John C. Hodges Library.
While the location is being completed, a temporary space will open later this month in Dunford Hall Room 2417.
The idea for the center came as a recommendation from the Task Force in Support of Student Veterans, which included a student veteran advisory board and other faculty, staff, and student representatives. The task force was established in 2011 to acknowledge the sacrifices of veterans and provide resources and support for veterans at UT.
“Our campus serves more than 800 students who are using veteran education benefits. We hope that this space will provide them with the services they need to be successful and give them a place on campus to call home,” said Jayetta Rogers, veteran student services coordinator.
As the university’s veteran population continues to grow, the new space will allow the Office of Veteran Student Services to better support the needs of student veterans and military families.
“This is an important step for the university to continue serving our student veterans,” said Kari Alldredge, associate provost and director of undergraduate admissions. “We are always looking for ways to better support this important part of our student body and with the larger space and dedicated study areas, student veterans will also be able to use the center for studying and meeting.”
In 2015, UT was listed among the nation’s top schools for providing support to veterans returning to school by U.S. News and World Report. The university was recognized for its comprehensive support services, including priority registration and participation in the GI Bill program.
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CONTACT:
Katherine Saxon (865-974-8365, ksaxon@utk.edu)