Veterans at Oswego, partner colleges supported by SUNY Impact grant

The SUNY Impact Foundation has awarded a grant of $70,400 from the U.S. Ambassador Carl Spielvogel Fund for Veterans to fund an academic support proposal submitted jointly by SUNY Oswego, Jefferson Community College, SUNY Canton, and SUNY Potsdam to strengthen transfer pathways and foster academic success for student veterans.

The grant will span four semesters and include the following:

* The hiring of a dedicated tutor to work specifically with the student veteran population on each campus in an effort to increase their comfort of use of academic support services and assist in their academic adjustment

 * JCC will provide space at least twice per semester for SUNY Oswego's veteran and military services coordinator to hold office hours to meet with prospective JCC student veterans and discuss transfer options with travel covered by the grant

* SUNY Oswego will host prospective JCC student veterans on their respective campuses once per semester

* Institutions will create transfer pathway materials specifically for student veterans and promote institutional services available to student veterans

The overall grant will allow the schools to assist student veterans in conceptualizing the academic environment, develop academic skills and confidence, and encourage persistence to complete their academic goals. This will be accomplished through proactive advisement that incorporates the coursework requirements at both the two-year and four-year academic programs while establishing a rapport with campus veteran services coordinators early in the student veterans’ academic career through the JCC office hours.

Four-year campus visits will ease the transition and prepare for a confident transfer from JCC to SUNY Oswego, said Oswego’s veteran services coordinator, Benjamin Parker. With all campuses utilizing DegreeWorks academic software, the ability to use transfer features will assist in providing a four-year pathway from JCC to SUNY Oswego.  

About the grant

SUNY announced grants on Veterans Day to 11 campuses in total from the Ambassador Trustee Carl Spielvogel Fund to boost education opportunities for more than 12,500 military students and their dependents across the state.

The fund began with a generous donation by Ambassador Spielvogel, who serves on the SUNY Board of Trustees and is a veteran himself having been a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and a member of the U.S. Army.

“Many of our veterans have had experiences way beyond their years fighting for democracy around the globe,” Spielvogel said. “As they come to New York, I am pleased to lend my personal support and provide resources to give more of our servicemen and women the advantage of a higher education through skills-based training, as well as a range of initiatives that will expand and improve educational opportunities.”

SUNY Chairman H. Carl McCall described the grants as one more way to “give thanks to those who have served and those who continue to protect our country.”

“We deeply appreciate Ambassador Spielvogel for his steadfast dedication to SUNY, and his personal pledge to his namesake fund, and to our faculty and staff who are delivering these innovative programs to make sure we give our veterans an opportunity for an excellent higher education,” McCall added.

We are proud to serve our veterans, and with the generosity of Ambassador Spielvogel, a dedicated patriot and staunch advocate for higher education, the U.S. Ambassador Trustee Carl Spielvogel Fund will help our campuses provide academic assistance and support to more people who have protected our country,” said SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson. “My thanks to Ambassador Spielvogel and to all of our veteran students for their service.”

For more information on services and support for veterans and active-duty military members and their families at Oswego, visit oswego.edu/veterans.

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