MaryKate Carter
The MSU Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) and MSU Spartan Armed Forces Council will show their appreciation and offer their support to student veterans by hosting the third annual MSU Student Veterans and Service Members Welcome Reception on Wednesday, Oct. 5 in 120 Bessey Hall from 5:15 p.m., to 6:45 p.m.
Student Veterans have already served their country when they arrive on campus, and they continue to contribute to the MSU community with their life experience, enthusiasm, and work ethic. However, the transition from military life to student civilian life is not without challenges.
Michigan State University is dedicated to ensuring that student veterans have access to a quality education and enjoy the opportunity to participate fully in campus life. MSU offers numerous venues for student veterans to get involved, and the welcome reception provides an intimate and accessible setting for student veterans and service members to connect with one another and learn about opportunities designed for their taking.
Representatives from organizations like the Family Resource Center, the Office of Financial Aid, the Counseling Center, the Ingham County VA, the Spartan Armed Forces Council and the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) will make themselves available at resource tables during the event.
The open-house nature of the reception makes it possible for representatives to answer student questions directly and personally. Likewise, student veterans and service members take ownership of their own involvement as they are free to inquire about whichever groups and resources they choose.
Tom Hwang, from RCPD, explains accessible media to a group of student veterans.
The Spartan Armed Forces Council is one of the overarching student bodies that helps student veterans navigate their opportunities and roles on campus throughout the year. The council serves as an umbrella organization over The MSU Student Veterans of America chapter of the national SVA and other interested individuals. MSU SVA is exclusive to veterans, so in 2009 MSU veterans established the Spartan Armed Forces Council to facilitate cooperation amongst student veterans while including others members of the MSU community.
Spartan Armed Forces Council President Kent Dell describes his fellow council members as enthusiastic and proud participants in the MSU community.
We are not just a bunch of veterans telling war stories, Dell explained. We are an active student group who wants to get involved around campus.
SAFC is gearing up for a busy year filled with old favorites, like painting the MSU rock on Veterans Day, and new endeavors, like community service projects. Anyone interested in joining the group is welcome to visit their table at the reception for more information.
In addition to student organizations, specialty programs through the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities empower veterans to succeed and participate fully in college. Sometimes injuries acquired while on active duty leave lingering effects, and students have to adapt to new methods of learning, communicating, or getting around East Lansing.
RCPD supports these veterans with resources to help them navigate campus independently and harness academic tools for optimal learning. Whether a student struggles with sensory, mobility, or psychiatric disability, RCPD encourages each one that their ability to succeed is in no way diminished. The journey to success may require a higher level of creativity, but each Spartan can achieve greatness.
Student Veterans bring unique experiences to their college career, and MSU provides outlets for camaraderie and resources designed to maximize their success. However, student veterans are much more than former military men and women; they are dynamic students who contribute to the MSU community as individuals.
Dell sees great potential for friendship, networking and teamwork between veterans and other students. He branched out to serve as President of Tower Guard, MSU's sophomore honor & service organization.
First and foremost, I am a member of Tower Guard and it is my responsibility to work with the RCPD and the students that use the service to help them achieve their academic goals, Dell said of his role as president.
As Dell's campus experience shows, joining a veteran specific organization offers unique support to those students, but it does not isolate them from other Spartans and MSU activities. He enjoys connecting with fellow veterans, but he understands his role on campus expands far beyond his experience as a veteran.
Because so many organizations and resources will be presented at the reception, each student veteran or service member will enjoy access to those that are most relevant to their personal needs and interests. Student veterans are a dynamic and diverse group of individuals; each one will touch campus with their own contributions and enjoy different experiences. The Student Veteran Welcome Reception will facilitate a sense of community and solidarity while empowering each individual Spartan to encounter MSU their own way, utilizing resources and joining clubs that best suit them.
Check out the State News article and video that showcased a successful 2011 Welcome Reception.