VCU Honors Veterans, is Designated a 'Military Friendly School' by Veteran-Operated Media Group

By Mike Porter

Student, faculty and staff veterans were honored for their service during a Veterans Day celebration held this afternoon in the University Student Commons.

Virginia Department of Veterans Services Commissioner and retired Navy pilot Paul Galanti served as keynote speaker.

Galanti served on the U.S.S. Hancock during the Vietnam War and, while flying his 97^th combat mission in June 1966, was shot down and captured by the North Vietnamese. He remained a prisoner of war for nearly seven years.

“I was in solitary confinement and the torture sessions were pretty miserable,” Galanti said. “But I got through it all by thinking no matter how bad I have it, somebody else has it worse.” 

Following the presentation of colors by the VCU ROTC Color Guard, junior vocal performance student Colby Mullen sang the National Anthem and Carroll Londoner, who is a retired professor from the School of Education and retired Navy chaplain, delivered prayers.

After the speeches, the audience remained seated while the names of Virginia military personnel who lost their lives since 2001 were projected on a giant screen as “Amazing Grace” played.

Earlier this fall, VCU was included on a list of 2013 Military Friendly Schools, which honors schools that exhibit leading practices in the recruitment and retention of students with military experience and offer world-class programs and policies for student support on campus, academic accreditation, credit policies, flexibility and other services to those who served.

The recognition was developed by Victory Media, a veteran-owned media company.

The list of 1,739 colleges, universities and trade schools honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace as students America’s military service members, veterans and spouses and ensure their success on campus.

“Inclusion on the 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools shows a school’s commitment to providing a supportive environment for military students,” said Sean Collins, director for “G.I. Jobs” and vice president at Victory Media. “As interest in education grows we’re thrilled to provide the military community with transparent, world-class resources to assist in their search for schools,” Collins said.

Martha Lou Green, special assistant to the provost for military student support, welcomed the designation, which she said recognizes the efforts made by the university to support military students such as the Green Zone program and the Military Student Services Center.

“The mission of the Military Student Services Center is to provide a space for our service members and/or their family members to study, discover common ground and find solutions to problems they may have experienced at VCU,” Green said.

VCU’s efforts have been noticed and appreciated by current military students and recent graduates.

Spc. Kyle Harris, a sophomore majoring in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and member of the Virginia Army National Guard 276th Engineer Battalion in Petersburg, left VCU in 2009 on federal active duty orders to serve in “Operation Enduring Freedom” in Afghanistan.

He served overseas for nearly two years and within a month of returning to the United States was re-enrolled as a full time student.

“I was faced with new challenges I had never dealt with before. I felt very much alone and isolated at times,” Harris said. "It wasn't until I made the effort in reaching out to organizations like the SVA [Student Veterans Association] that I found my comfort zone and was able to fight the common urge to quit.”

By becoming part of the SVA, Harris also became aware of the Military Student Services Center and the Omega Delta Sigma Coed Fraternity for veterans, which he said collectively managed to bring together what he needed — where he needed it most.

“When I discovered the veteran organizations at first I couldn't believe my eyes,” Harris said. “No longer would I have to reach outside the campus for veteran support. This allowed me to remain submerged in academics throughout the semester, increasing my GPA and opening more doors to future opportunities and success.”

Veteran Tom Waterworth was deployed twice as a member of the Army National Guard, serving in “Operation Enduring Freedom” in Afghanistan and in “Operation Iraqi Freedom,” where he spent more than a year in Baghdad. Upon his return to the United States, Waterworth transferred to VCU from Marshall University and earned a degree in homeland security and emergency preparedness. 

Waterworth, who served as coordinator at Military Student Services Center from November 2011 until last June, said the university’s decision to hold separate orientation sessions is an important step in easing the transition into college.

“Student veterans are pulled out of regular sessions and are brought into sessions that focus more directly on the issues faced by veterans," Waterworth said. “Veterans are used to being directed. The orientation sessions for student veterans give them direction and assistance to integrate into the community. I think that was very successful.”

The 2013 Military Friendly Schools list can be found at http://www.militaryfriendlyschools.com.

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