'Military Friendly' UCF Reaches Out to Student Veterans

By Courtney Gilmartin Sept. 1, 2009

Photo: Jacque Brund

Tania Ongay (left), Tim Robison and Stephanie Marino, all student veterans, work with Jim Middlekauff in the Office of Veteran Services.

Full Photo

The University of Central Florida’s efforts to ease students’ transition from the combat zone to the classroom have earned UCF recognition on a national list of the most “military friendly” schools.

G.I. Jobs magazine recently named UCF among the top 15 percent of universities, private and community colleges and trade schools in the country that make recruiting and offering services for student veterans a priority.

G.I. Jobs, which targets veterans looking for post-military success, reviewed more than 7,000 schools for its annual list. The publication selected the schools that best support student veterans and offer them additional benefits, such as an on-campus veterans program, credit for service and special housing.

“The University of Central Florida and surrounding communities are extremely well positioned to support countless veterans who choose to pursue higher education as the key stepping stone to future success following their military service,” said retired Navy Vice Admiral Al Harms, UCF’s vice president for Strategy, Marketing, Communications and Admissions.

In 2008, the Chronicle of Higher Education ranked UCF 18th on its list of national institutions that enroll the most students with veteran benefits. UCF is one of only two large public universities on the 25-school list and is also one of the only institutions not located near a military base.

With the new GI Bill that took effect last month, UCF’s Office of Veteran Services expects more student veterans to enroll at UCF. The university typically enrolls about 700 students under the GI Bill each semester.

To help those students adjust to civilian life, UCF has implemented several outreach initiatives for veterans, their professors and staff members. UCF offers student veterans mentoring and special academic support services beginning when they first arrive on campus. UCF Veteran Services educates faculty and staff about student veterans and how to support students with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Other efforts are under way to make veterans feel comfortable at UCF outside the classroom. Within the past year, a group of students revived the Student Veterans Association at UCF to create a community for students who have served in the military. The group organizes meetings, social outings and volunteer opportunities and receives tickets to campus sporting events.

“UCF welcomes all veterans with open arms and provides any support possible to ensure a smooth transition into the academic arena,” said Jim Middlekauff, assistant university registrar in the Office of Veteran Services. “We want to help them focus on class studies and become a part of the campus community.”

Middlekauff also hopes to ease the transition into college life by establishing a Veteran Academic Resource Center at UCF. The center, which he describes as a one-stop location for student-veteran services, would provide academic support and serve as a meeting place for the student-veteran community. Plans for the center are being developed as resources become available.

UCF is one of more than a dozen Florida schools participating in the “Service 2 Scholars” program under the new GI Bill, which increases awareness of higher education opportunities among student veterans and provides full benefits to veterans who have served more than three years of active duty since Sept. 11, 2001. Those benefits include tuition and fees for up to 36 months, a monthly housing allowance and a yearly stipend for books and other school materials. Partial benefits are available for veterans who do not quality for full benefits.

To learn more about UCF Veteran Services, go to http://www.va.ucf.edu/.

UCF Stands For Opportunity: The University of Central Florida is a metropolitan research university that ranks as the 5th largest in the nation with more than 52,000 students. UCF's first classes were offered in 1968. The university offers impressive academic and research environments that power the region's economic development. UCF's culture of opportunity is driven by our diversity, Orlando environment, history of entrepreneurship and our youth, relevance and energy. For more information, visit http://news.ucf.edu.

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