Timely Reinforcement
Enter the Schoen Foundation, which established the Schoen Foundation Endowed Program Fund for Veteran and Military Students. The influx of $1.1 million has been a game changer. Not only have the program’s resources expanded, but it also has the means to continue its work in perpetuity.
As part of the family-led foundation, Kelsey Sutton ’14 wanted to give back to her alma mater, which had a profound impact on her just as her grandfather’s service in the U.S. Marines had on him and his wife. William and Sharon Schoen established the foundation to support veterans by advancing their education.
“Public service is a gift our veterans and military personnel have given, and our foundation wants to ensure they have access to quality education,” says Sutton. “We are honored and humbled to be able to help make the next step easier for people who have given so much for our country.
“The goals of Veteran and Military Student Services closely align with our mission and my grandfather’s story,” she adds. “Nontraditional students, like returning veterans and military students, often face added responsibilities that can challenge their success. We hope the Schoen Foundation’s support helps them overcome these challenges and thrive in this next chapter.”
The generosity of the Schoen Foundation will be giving veteran and military students access to numerous resources to help them succeed.
The College is also the first university in the Southeast to partner with Warrior Scholars, a nonprofit that holds a summer academic boot camp for veteran and military students.
“We start with the STEM boot camp because we have a lot of students focusing on computer science and engineering,” says Jessica Wilkes, director of Veteran and Military Student Services. “The boot camp is a great way to get ready to be a student again. There are so many differences between the military and academia, from writing style to interactions.”
Another important arena the Schoen Foundation supports is the Veteran Peer Advising program. The grant to pay peer advisers just ended, so the new funding came at the perfect time. The advisers help with everything from how to access resources and mental health training to veteran resources and work-life balance.
“All of our incoming students are paired with a peer adviser to learn how to navigate the College,” says Wilkes. “It can be tough to break in when you are a nontraditional student.”
The Schoen Foundation has also helped with the Veterans Vault, a library of school-related equipment that they can check out from the services’ office, and the Veterans Aid Fund, which helps with unexpected emergency expenses.
“The Schoen Foundation has created a real chance for us to provide what our veteran and military students need to succeed at the College with a strong, supportive community,” says Wilkes. “The Schoen Foundation has completely transformed our program in ways that I know will help our veteran and military students thrive at the College for years to come.”