The Office of Veteran & Military Student Services at the 小蝌蚪APP celebrated the grand opening of a new student center in Agnes Edwards Hall during Veterans Week.
The space, featuring a pool table, kitchenette and adjacent computer lab, provides support services for more than 600 veterans and military-connected students at UL Lafayette.
For Stacey Thomas, a 55-year-old U.S. Army veteran and vice president of the Student Veteran Organization, the center has already become a place on campus where he小蝌蚪APP檚 found friends who feel like family.
小蝌蚪APP淔or some of us who are veterans 小蝌蚪APP the older ones like myself 小蝌蚪APP it kind of harkens back to the USO organizations that used to be in the airports,小蝌蚪APP said Thomas, a senior psychology major. 小蝌蚪APP淲hen you小蝌蚪APP檙e in between flights, going to whatever parts unknown and feeling kind of lonely, it小蝌蚪APP檚 someplace where you could just go and sit and maybe play a game of pool or have a snack.小蝌蚪APP
Dr. DeWayne Bowie, the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 vice president for Enrollment Management, said the vision for this expanded center came directly from veteran and military-connected students. For them, the lounge atmosphere was especially important.
小蝌蚪APP淭hey wanted a space where they could come together and have conversations with folks who had similar backgrounds and similar interests, and that's what this space is for them,小蝌蚪APP said Bowie.
The center supports an extension of the networking these students experienced during their military service, said Ryan Gonzales, assistant director of Veteran & Military Student Services. He said the space was designed to enable students to continue to build those important connections and friendships on campus.
小蝌蚪APP淭o see (the center) finally come to fruition is a really good feeling,小蝌蚪APP he added.
Danielle Doucet, director of Veteran & Military Student Services, emphasized that even though there are plenty of websites and printed materials available to provide advice for military students, 小蝌蚪APP渢heir best resource is each other.小蝌蚪APP Doucet has organized regular coffee hours and invited alumni to speak to current students to share their advice.
小蝌蚪APP淚t can be hard because some of them are working through deployments,小蝌蚪APP said Doucet. 小蝌蚪APP淲hen they get those orders, they don't know if it's for a week or if it's for a month, so that's something else they have to juggle on top of school.小蝌蚪APP
She said the Office of Veteran & Military Student Services originated to ensure students received their G.I. benefits. The office continues to fulfill this role but, over time, it小蝌蚪APP檚 become much more.
She said the center represents, 小蝌蚪APP渢his 小蝌蚪APP's deep appreciation for our military and how we want them to succeed.小蝌蚪APP
Visit the new Veteran & Military Student Center in room M-160 in Agnes Edwards Hall. For more information about the Office of Veteran & Military Student Services, go to Louisiana.edu/veterans.
Photo caption: Dr. DeWayne Bowie, vice president for Enrollment Management; Ryan Gonzales, assistant director of Veteran & Military Student Services; and Danielle Doucet, director of Veteran & Military Student Services, celebrate the center小蝌蚪APP檚 official opening. Photo credit: Paul Kieu / 小蝌蚪APP