Virginia Tech is among the top 20 percent of higher education institutions recognized for supporting military connected students and their families, according to Victory Media, a group that supports military personnel in their transition to civilian life.

The 2014 Military Friendly Schools list features 1,868 colleges, universities, and trade schools that excel in academic and personal support for students who are veterans or currently serving in the military, and their family members. More than 10,000 schools are approved for tuition funding from the VA.

“The university has made a commitment to honor our motto of Ut Prosim (That I May Serve). Making sure the needs of our students who are currently serving and those who have served are being met is a critical part of that duty,” said Karen Eley Sanders, associate vice provost for undergraduate academic affairs and administrator of the university’s student veteran initiative. “We continue to look for opportunities – whether it be academic support, financial guidance, mentoring, counseling, social gatherings, or other avenues – to see this part of our student body succeed.”

In May 2012, the Office of Veterans Service opened to serve as the first-stop for veterans and their dependents. The office handles all compliance paperwork with the Veterans Administration and coordinates with the Student Success Center and University Registrar to ensure student veterans are connected to resources to help with their transition to academic expectations as well as campus civilian life. Students served by this office have access to tutoring, mentoring, assistance navigating the VA system, and connection to the Veterans@VT student organization, a chapter of Student Veterans of America.

The Office of Veterans Services is located at 800 Washington Street in the Student Services Building, Suite 130. It is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Beyond the Office of Veterans Services, the university’s veteran support initiative connects students and their families to local organizations, hosts periodic events for military students and their families, holds training sessions for faculty and staff who interact with military students and their families, and mentors the student organization, Veterans@VT.

The student veterans group attended the Virginia Tech football game against Western Carolina on Sept. 7, as special guests of President Charles W. Steger in the President’s Box.

The Sept. 21 football game against Marshall University is Military Appreciation Day and the Corps of Cadets Homecoming. Two military flyovers are planned and the team will wear special orange and maroon camouflage helmets.

In addition, in honor of Military Appreciation Day, the Virginia Tech Athletics Communication Office is encouraging fans to share photos on Instagram with the service men and women in your lives with the hashtag #VTLovesMilitary and include @vthokiefootball. The best ones will be posted on Virginia Tech’s football Instagram account.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.

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