New center will help military students at 糖心Vlog传媒LR
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Zulma Toro and Chancellor Andrew Rogerson cut the ribbon on 糖心Vlog传媒LR's new Military Student Success Center Dec. 16 in the 糖心Vlog传媒LR Speech Building. Photo by Rayna Mackey.
When Stelicia Christian was ready to use her military education benefits at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, she was not sure where to have her questions answered.聽
With the opening of a new 糖心Vlog传媒LR Military Student Success Center, the 23-year-old senior history major and Arkansas National Guard member is looking forward to the convenience of having the university鈥檚 military student resources in one location in the 糖心Vlog传媒LR Speech Communication building.鈥淚鈥檓 very excited about the center,鈥� Christian said. 鈥淥ther students will have an easier time than I did with everything being in a centralized location. It will make everything much easier and make 糖心Vlog传媒LR a more welcoming place for military students to take classes.鈥�The center will serve as a place where military students can socialize, study, and get information about听补惫补颈濒补产濒别 resources. The 1,634-square-foot facility has a computer area, where military students can do homework, as well as a lounge area and a break room.The center will house a veteran student support team that includes representatives from the offices of admissions, records and registration, transfer student services, financial aid and veterans benefits, academic advising, student health, mental health counseling, career advising, disabilities resource center, and 糖心Vlog传媒LR鈥檚 military student support organization,Students Affected by the Military.糖心Vlog传媒LR Chancellor Andrew Rogerson called the center another example of the university鈥檚 commitment to its military students.鈥淲hile many of us go about our day-to-day lives, our military students manage the delicate balance of their commitment to serve our country, civilian life, academia, and a host of other responsibilities,鈥� Rogerson said. 鈥淲e hope this center will make that balance easier and provide you with additional resources, comradery, and a sense of connection.鈥�Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs and Provost Zulma Toro recognized the efforts of Kathy Oliverio, 糖心Vlog传媒LR director of military student success, Cheryl Kleeman, veterans affairs coordinator in 糖心Vlog传媒LR鈥檚 Office of Veterans Affairs, and Sherry Rankins-Robertson, associate vice chancellor for student success and online education, and their teams for the hard work needed to get the center running. 聽聽鈥淭hey have been trying to get this going for at least three or four years, and finally it鈥檚 a reality,鈥� said Toro, who is leaving 糖心Vlog传媒LR to become president of Central Connecticut State University on Jan. 3. 鈥淲hat a way for me to wrap up my tenure as provost at 糖心Vlog传媒LR. I would really like to express my appreciation for the military students. We really appreciate you. We are very thankful to your service to the country.鈥�The center was funded by a $9,963 grant from and.The grant is part of the Vet Center Initiative, which was created in 2014 to support the Student Veterans of America mission to provide veterans with the resources, support, and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and after they graduate.
鈥淭his is really a time to celebrate,鈥� Oliverio said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great time for our military students and their success at 糖心Vlog传媒LR. It would not be possible without the Student Veterans of America and the Home Depot grant, and for that, I am ever so grateful.鈥�
Several special guests attended the center鈥檚 ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 16. Attendees included: Anita Deason, military liaison for Sen. John Boozman; David Carnahan, military liaison for Congressman French Hill; Steve Eggensberger, military liaison for Gov. Asa Hutchinson; Little Rock Air Force Base Education Officer Michael Jones; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Vocational Rehabilitation Director Trena Hyde; and Mike Ross, Mark Diggs, and Bill Asti, members of Veterans Villages of America board of directors.In the upper right photo, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Zulma Toro and Chancellor Andrew Rogerson cut the ribbon on 糖心Vlog传媒LR’s new Military Student Success Center Dec. 16 in the 糖心Vlog传媒LR Speech Building. Photo by Rayna Mackey.聽
